[Clayart] the clay teaches

[Kanika Sircar]

I am having a show September 1-28, 2024 at Waverly Street Gallery, Bethesda 
MD.
It's called "Smoke: New Ceramics".
Please visit.

The clay never ceases to teach.

Kanika Sircar

-----Original Message----- 
From: mel jacobson via Clayart
Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2024 1:28 PM
To: clay clay
Cc: mel jacobson
Subject: [Clayart] the clay teaches

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
WWW.clayartarchives.com