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misc: burnt out; dream studio and wheel;; joyce's problem

updated fri 31 dec 04

 

Lili Krakowski on thu 30 dec 04


Having followed the burnt-out thread, only Rhoda Kale made the point of =
asking what else is going on in your life? In many cases "burn-out" is =
simply exhaustion: you have put other things on hold, jeopardized =
family relations, friendships, second-job etc in order to focus on clay. =
Maybe you need a hiatus from clay so you can catchup and not have =
subliminal guilt gnawing at you. Perhaps hiring someone to do some of =
these neglected jobs-- painting your daughter's room, finally putting up =
new curtains, cleaning up the garage will relieve the border line =
despair of burn out. For everything in nature there is a breathing in =
and breathing out period; a time of hyperactivity and of rest. Human =
beings are not designed to run full tilt all the time. In less =
ridiculous societies people work the fields in Summer, rest at home in =
winter. Fishermen fish in season, and repair nets off season. And so =
on. As I recall, Daniel Clark potted like mad in Summer, fired in =
Fall, spent winter traveling to sell. Maybe balancing your life as a =
potter will help.

Also: No kidding. You might want to get a physical checkup. You =
actually might be suffering from depression.

As to dream studio; All blessings on all spouses who support their =
potter! As to the dream studio, Earl has it right. If you can, besides =
a toilet, put in a simple shower; a floor drain is good enough. The =
ideal is to be able to shower, shampoo and change to clean clothes (or =
bathrobe) BEFORE returning to house. ALSO: keep things flexible. You =
may want, of have to, change what you make and how you make it over the =
next decades so do not nail yourself down as committed to wheel, =
committed to slab rolling, committed to molds.

Buying wheels for someone else ain't easy. I think a gift certificate =
the best idea. So much depends on the build and body proportion of the =
potter.

Joyce: If I read you correctly your buddy is a flitter. And right now =
her lack of focus is interfering with what you need to do. Is that =
right? Can you tell her point blank that you are so busy right now that =
you need to be alone, and that the studio if closed to her till whatever =
date? The idea of her mixing glazes sounds good, but I wonder what =
happens when she has weighed out all the ball clay, all the flint, and =
then when it gets down to the individual ingredients she loses interest =
and track? =20

Can you set her to work at something like cleaning the studio shelves? =
Or arranging packing materials? Inventory? Something that does not =
need to be done in one fell swoop or within a specific time span?




Lili Krakowski


Be of good courage