Ego checked at the door

We had the most incredible visit with 6th generation Portugese potter Jose Baeta in the medieval town of Redondo. Redondo means round but it is not because the town is round. It is that everyone made round pots. Jose is 6th generation potter in a dark unlight cold studio. At one time there were 6 potters working there and now with the advent of plastic there is not much demand for these pots of everyday use. I have never seen a potter move clay as effortlessly as Jose. At times he didn't even seem to center the clay. The working conditions are something I doubt many of us would be comfortable in. Cold, dark and covered in centuries of clay that was never cleaned up. I think he used his dog as a towel. The dog never left his side. I often laughed at visitors to Pinecroft as they would comment on 70 years of making. Multiple that by 4 or 5 more generations and you have working pottery. Jose probably moves a ton or so of clay a day and works 7 days a week. A small olive dish cost me 2 Euros which is not even 3 Cdn dollars. If he wholesales to a garden center he would get half of that. He seemed very happy! I'm still taking in what I saw at his pottery yesterday. It was very humbling. I am very respectful of this mans work ethic and skill level. Mind blowing!