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mold making as a craft ; was: eejing lifeless/lee

updated fri 19 may 06

 

lee love on wed 17 may 06


--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Malcolm Schosha
wrote:

>
> Very few studio potters understand the limitations of slip casting,
>and they tend to think that any shape at all can be cast.

Yes, sometimes jiggers and press molds can do things slip casting can't.

> Actually, I feel rather sorry for potters who make their own models
> and molds (a highly skilled craft in itself), because some of them
> have more art training and good taste than those potters who put
>them down, and who> view their work so dismissively.

The mold maker is another type of shokunin/craftsman here in
Japan. I have watched the process of my teacher working with the
local mold maker, to develop new mold forms. It is an art!

Also, the shokunin I sat next to during my apprenticehip made
most of the press mold work in my teacher's workshop. He always got a
kick out of the fact, that even though he never threw anything but
necks on his press mold bottles, his kokusara (square press mold
plates) fetched higher prices than the head thrower's thrown plates!
Fukuyan helped me develop great respect for mold crafted work. I
need to have some molds made for plates, bottles, water droppers and
boxes.


--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan
My google Notebook: http://tinyurl.com/ozpx3

"Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire;
Bring me my Spear; O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire! "
--William Blake

Malcolm Schosha on thu 18 may 06


--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, lee love wrote:
>
> --- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Malcolm Schosha
> wrote:
>
> >
> > Very few studio potters understand the limitations of slip casting,
> >and they tend to think that any shape at all can be cast.
>
> Yes, sometimes jiggers and press molds can do things slip casting
can't.
>
................................

Lee,

Press molds, and jigger molds, are just part of it; and I was actually
thinking particularly of slip casting.

Malcolm