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life under high heat

updated sat 22 jul 06

 

Marta Matray on thu 20 jul 06


tony wrote:
>In the two decades of making a living from clay I have much less tolerance
>for the guy and his wife in my showroom yesterday that announced that he
>would be a potter once he retired. >>

tony,
you should have tell them that you are going to be a surgeon when you
retire from pottery... or whatever his occupation was, a scientist or
a highschool principal. sure... "thats what i would like to play with..."
yeah.
but, you know what, he is jelous of your muddy hands,
because he never ever enjoyed what he was doing!

cheers, marta

http://www.martamatray.com

clennell on thu 20 jul 06


E wrote:

> Anyway, I guess what I am asking is this: are you
> different in any deep ways now from what you were
> decades ago? Or are you just tangier over time?


E: The simple answer is "yes". Life under high heat can form a crust. Try
feeling poor for a period of time and you'll see how fast you get crusty.
In the two decades of making a living from clay I have much less tolerance
for the guy and his wife in my showroom yesterday that announced that he
would be a potter once he retired. I just turn and go back to work. I don't
have the time or inclination to engage them in conversation. 20 years ago I
would have encouraged him since I was beginning too and in many ways we had
it all to learn together.
I don' understand firings as socials since our wood firings are about being
successful in a show or being broke. It is a job, not time spent in the sand
box making mudpies.
It is hard to relate to the woman potter whose husband is a high school
principal when she is all smiles at the art show and you have that look in
your eyes of "man, I sure I hope I sell this stuff!". Go home like Dick
Aerni and count the money and start over again. The woman potter might rest
up at the cottage or sail Lake Erie in the sailboat.
Both sauces can be rich and flavourful. Both lives are rich and meaningful.
I said before on Clayart people get angry when they are threatened. This
might be the crust. When a goof ball says I'm going to be a potter when I
retire. What goes thru your mind when you turn away is " Oh, good yet
another one!".
Maybe not the best answer but I got things on my mind too!
Best,
Tony- crusty as a bear's arse.

P.S Kelly I liked your answer to pourquoi!

Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com