An acquired taste

When we first taste alcohol we try a beer or maybe a wine but Scotch or Bourbon is distasteful. When we start making pottery we think that thin and light with a beautiful glaze makes for a good potter. Then for some people education begins.Today I went for the unload of "Bob" the kiln of Emma Smith. I was surprised to learn that "M" has only been making pots for 10 years. I guess it was that long ago that I taught her at Sheridan College School of Craft and Design. She has come a long way. Bob is her second wood kiln and by the looks of the inaugural firing Bob is an unqualified success. Emma did a reduction cool which presents a more somber colour pallette. More in keeping with the nature of rocks, wood, moss and the forests carpet. I don't think these pots qualify as "purdy pots" but they sure are beautiful. I commented on how much I liked her jugs. She said "Ya they may be a little light!" BINGO!!!! This is a woman smart beyond her years. There is a right weight for pots. A jug should weigh what you expect it to weigh. A cup should be heavy enough to keep the tea/coffee hot. The firing went beautifully with what seemed like a laid back stoking pattern. There was no stress and the kiln responded to every small change. Stoking was casual with stokes maybe every 5 minutes or so. Emma had some sweet pots that I am sure she will be photographing and posting on her website this week. Visit http://www.blacksmithcountrygeneral.com . Not only is M becoming a damn fine potter she and her squeeze Jesse operate a very classy store with beautiful handmade objects. It is my big box store for Christmas. Well done, M! Stand up and take a bow. T

Comments

Anonymous said…
It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills And empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.
Anonymous said…
What do you call a gorilla that plays with clay?








A Hairy Potter!
Anonymous said…
face only a mother could love?
Eugene said…
Sometimes your comments and actions come back to bite you in the ass.
Lori Watts said…
I tell students: Our aesthetic is formed by what we see every day; and 99% of what we see has been made by a machine in a manufacturing process. And in manufacturing, using less material is better, because it's cheaper. (Overly light pots feel cheap & flimsy to me, unless there's a discernable reason for the light weight - like, it's deliberately delicate and thin, intended only for the most special events; in that case its very fragility proclaims the occasion.
But I digress.)
I tell them that in order to develop their own aesthetic they will need to expose themselves to many many many handmade things, looking, touching, using.

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