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Take
a look around the shop.
On
any given day you'll find pots in all stages of completion.
Sometimes the ware carts are full. Other times, right after a
series of firings and art fairs, there will only be a few
pieces in progress.
I
still do
everything by hand. All my pots are thrown on the wheel. I use
one wheel for throwing and another for trimming. Even after
twenty-seven years of making my living as a potter I still
enjoy my time at the wheel. Aside from the sheer pleasure of
the feel of my hands on clay, I love the spontaneous results
that come from clay turning into form. Though I may set out
with a
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fairly
specific shape in mind, the action of the wheel, and
sometimes
the cussedness of clay, can result in an even more interesting
pot than I had in mind. Through that slow evolution, I can
look back at the “same" pots I made a few years back
and be amazed at the subtle changes that occurred without
plan. |
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Perhaps
one of the main reasons I pursued a living as a craftsman was
my fascination with the process of how a thing is made. Sure,
I enjoy the finished work – either my own pottery, or the
pieces made by other potters that I have collected over the
years. I enjoy using them. I can appreciate the way a good
hand-made thing can elevate the simplest activities – can
make them so much more enjoyable. Whether it’s the joy of
coffee in a favorite mug, or seeing a table set for company
with a variety of handmade pots decorating the table, the
handmade pot transforms the mundane into an event. |
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But
the joy found in the handmade runs deeper. Especially pottery
made by hand. Its pleasure can be found in its inherent
irregularity – that “perfect” that isn’t perfect. The
fact that even when pots are made in sets, or in multiples
with a single idea in mind, there is still a slight lack of
uniformity that renders more character to each individual
piece. It can be like looking at a family – a family with
resemblance and yet individuality. Charming, really. |
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And
there’s joy in the marks left by the maker. The fact that a
potter can take these elements, clay, water, stone and fire,
shape them to will, and the whole of the finished piece will
still be greater than the sum of what the potter put into it.
And still, even at that, you can’t help but be aware of the
act of the human hand in the creation.
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