[Clayart] the clay teaches

[mel jacobson]

it is rather a myth that the "clay teaches you".  We are involved in a complex, very difficult craft. It takes quality teachers to teach all the complex parts of clay. It starts with clay chemistry, wetness, proper mixing and experience. Throwing and hand building are very complex crafts.  It takes years to learn even the basics. A great teacher makes that time diminish. My teachers in Japan made me into a "master thrower" by repeating forms over and over in the thousands. How does a pianist learn to play??? hours of cords. And of course, a master teacher.

Think of the complexity of kilns, firing temps and glaze melting. Everything has to match perfectly.  Often the teacher that knows almost nothing will try to trick the student into learning. It is like the thought that "Pep talks will make the team play well". Well organized teaching of the team as to what to do and went to do it makes a winner.  You can have a locker room full of touch stones and it never works if the team is not prepared. Great coaches are master teachers.

As we develop as craftsperson's the materials become known to us. We have to be observant to the variations. We learn what those materials can do and "not do". The old saw really works....."practice makes perfect."
mel

website: www.melpots.com
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