Hell's Gatekeeper

Hell's Gatekeeper sent an unsolicited note to Medalta Potteries in my home town of Medicine Hat. Seems like he thinks they raised a devil out on those prairies and set him free to take on teaching in hurricanes. One might think that teaching during a hurricane is a little taste of hell and might indeed label the week as the workshop from Hell. Well, to be honest it wasn't. I had a great group and the people at Peter's Valley lead by Hell's Gate Keeper Bruce Dehnert are AWESOME! When you take on a responsibility of captaining a ship ya stick with the crew. Thanx Bruce for the note. It means alot.


D


ear medalta,

it comes to my attention, after spending a week with mr. tony clennell, that he is, like you, from canada. tony taught a workshop for us here at peters valley craft center at the end of august. and an end of month it was.

being canada's foremost ceramics center, i just wanted to tell you that your countryman, clennell, inhabits a most austere place. that 'place' is found somewhere between total commitment and insanity. he did, afterall, teach for us during hurricane irene. just to make sure i'm being understood...he taught for us DURING hurricane irene.

with trees falling all around, water filling homes and running through kiln rooms, power gone for the three days of a five day workshop [wheelthrowing/shino...and we have electric wheels], students hauling five gallon buckets of water for bathing and toilets, like yaks, from a nearby stream, and pots that seemed to get only wetter after being made, tony held his position and continued to teach like a man consumed by the devil.

tony clennell would make the most stalwart captain of any ship...refusing to go down without a fight.

we raise our glasses to the country that 'made' such a beast.

salute.

bruce dehnert
head of ceramics
peters valley craft center
19 kuhn road
layton, new jersey. 07851
usa

Comments

cori sandler said…
tony, I know I am an ol' softy... but this post made me cry.You know, those tears that just well up in an unsuspected second, when something has moved you in some surpsrising way, without warning...
Hope you are having fun at Sheridan and enjoying the changes that life is offering you up this thanksgiving.

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