clennell on wed 25 feb 04
Sour Cherry Pottery
> Hi Lee,
>
> I don't see the connection between quality and stirility - how would doing
> the job right interfer with with how the ware looks?
>
> Would that not depend on the skill of the maker?
>
> RR
> Lee wrote:
Or that things fired in a large
>> /Uncontrollable/ wood kiln are not safe. You just need to use some
>> common sense. Much can be learned about this by looking at how these
>> things are dealt with in Japan.
>>
>> If we don't keep the broad pitcure about /quality, /we will be
>> reduced to accepting "Ronald McDonald" glazes. Don't accept anybody
>> telling you /There is One True Way.
>
Lee; Here i thought I was the only one that put Ronald McDonald glazes
together with Ron Roy, but Ron also saw the connection. I too, fear there is
so much fear in the air about this and that glaze material that within the
decade all glazes will be sold by the pail at your favourite pottery
supplier.
I like Steve harrisons approach to glazes. This is the best that can be
done by using materials from my area. As Hopper pointed out in his book The
Ceramic Spectrum if the limit formula had been invented 2000 years ago what
kind of pots from history would we be looking at today?
I collect Windsor chairs made on a treadle lathe. The quality of a hand
shaved spook is a little woobly compared to the power lathe. My eye sees
the difference. I like a little wobble.
cheers,
Tony
Lee love on thu 26 feb 04
RR wrote:
(Sorry, I lost Ron's post the first time around.)
>>I don't see the connection between quality and stirility - how would doing
>>the job right interfer with with how the ware looks?
>>
>>
>>
The connection is between quantifiability/
uniformity/ predicibility.... and sterility. Quality cannot always be
measured quantitatively. (This is the same discussion we've been
having with Malcolm.)
>>Would that not depend on the skill of the maker?
>>
>>
Skill is only one aspect. I know shokunin (master
craftsmen) who have forgotten more craft skills than you or I will
never know. But they don't have the knack for making original work.
Perception and inspiration are also involved. Creativity
is more than the sum of developed skills. Skills and materials are the
tools of creativity. If creativity were only skills, we should step
aside and let the machines rule the world.
clennell wrote:
>Lee; Here i thought I was the only one that put Ronald McDonald glazes
>together with Ron Roy, but Ron also saw the connection.
>
I do believe that Ron Roy does important work and is real
generous about helping people. I respect and admire him for this. I
have no beef except when someone says that there is only one way to
approach glazes. Not everybody needs to use glaze calculation
software. There are many methods and approaches for developing
glazes. What folks have to do is find a way that works best for them.
I've had the good fortune to have some of my teacher's work that
I use everyday. Most of the work come in to my possession when we were
spring cleaning and Sensei told us to pick what we wanted, to make room
for the new work (it would have been thrown out otherwise.). It was
mostly odds and ends. I picked carefully, only a few pieces, but I
picked work I knew I'd want to use.
Most apprentices put our teacher's work away, in a cupboard or
if it came in a box, in the box, only to bring it out for guests. But I
learned to pot in Minnesota, so I use it every day. Though my
teacher graduated from the same technical college as Hamada, and knows
the technical approach to glazes very well, he chose, like Hamada, to
leave that all behind, and to make glazes in the traditional way.
From my experience, the work and glazes are extremely durable. Even
though we use it everyday, there is no visible crazing or wear.
> I too, fear there is
>so much fear in the air about this and that glaze material that within the
>decade all glazes will be sold by the pail at your favourite pottery
>supplier.
>
>
This is my worry too. Few old pots fired in large wood kilns
could pass the lemon or freezer test. But people have been using them
for millennia. Must all pots have less than 2% absorption? Must
we conform all our work to the microwave oven? I don't own a
microwave (A friend gave us one in St. Paul, but we only popped popcorn
in it.) We use an old fashioned steamer, (which is just about as
fast as a microwave.) And in time, if you use your work, ALL of it
develops cracks and crazing. I don't want to throw pots out just
because they are old.
>I like Steve harrisons approach to glazes. This is the best that can be
>done by using materials from my area.
>
My workshops with Pete Pinell and John Reeves were
invaluable. John has a particularly intuitive approach.
>I collect Windsor chairs made on a treadle lathe. The quality of a hand
>shaved spook is a little woobly compared to the power lathe. My eye sees
>the difference. I like a little wobble.
>
I've been studying woodblock print making. In some of my
favorite work, the printmaker makes skillful use of the woodgrain.
Shiko Munakata once said that when you begin the study of woodblock
printing, you should make a print of the untouched wood first. Then
measure your finished work against the print of the untouched wood.
The work should improve upon the untouched wood.
--Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.us "It seems to me what you
lose in mystery you gain in awe" -- Francis Crick
Ron Roy on sat 28 feb 04
Hi Lee,
We are getting a number of things mixed up in this discussion and I'm not
sure it's ever going to get resolved.
If we talk about glaze fit - and keeping it within the bounds of
functionality - do you think that would lead to sterility?
Would not keeping track of cristobalite in ware to be used in the oven be
an acceptable part of our job?
It seems to me that is part of every potters job if they are producing
functional work.
What is the problem with using calculation to predict glaze fit when it is
obviously such a time saver?
Using the example of pots in use for centuries - does that mean all those
that were not properly functional did not survive? Nowadays the badly made
pots destruct in somebodies kitchen if they make it through the kiln and
showroom.
Because you know some skilled craftsmen that are not creative is not an
argument for lack of skill - it does not take much to discourage creativity
in some for starters - in others it is irrepressible. I could never have
studied pottery in Japan for instance - the control would simply be
unacceptable.
I do agree with "Skills and materials are the tools of creativity" and I
keep saying - calculation is a tool - and it can be used specifically to
enhance individual creativity in any number of ways.
I do understand your attitude better now - having to learn under that load
of control - and fight you way out must take some doing.
On the other hand - over here - there is practically no control - and the
market place suffers. I'm also surprised that when we talk about marketing
our pots - we pay no attention to the functional part. Never mind - some
body is going to figure it out because it's gonna work.
By the way - Pete's article in the last Clay Times dwells on the stability
issue a little. He did not know one of his glazes was durable.
RR
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
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