Pot a Day???
Okay, so now there’s a million “painting a day” blogs since the success of Duane Keiser, Karen Jurick and others. How about a pot a day?? It’s probably an equal amount of work spread out over several days. Maybe I could start the process tomorrow and then build on it. It would go like this…make a pot tomorrow, make another pot the next, once first pot is dry enough – work on surface decoration, fire when bone dry, glaze once bisque fired, fire again, display. I could feasibly cylce 1 pot every 7 days or so. Everyday would involve working on one of the pots and it could culminate in a show in a year’s time. 365 Days of Pots or maybe just simply 365 as the show title. What do you think??
It would most likely be a great experience since I would grow exponentionally and would be forced to stretch a little. Each pot would be dated, which would serve as its inventory number and title.
Meanwhile, I came across the work of ceramic artist, Gretchen Wachs in a 2003 issue of Ceramics Monthly last night and really connected with the quote in the blurb about her…
“One of the things I love about both printmaking and ceramics is process. There is so much that happens that it not in my control. It teaches me to stay open and available to life’s surprises. For me, art is a practice, it’s about being awake and connected. Art gives me a mirror, an opportunity to continually reflect on my life and my environment, to take the images and ideas that are meaningful and express them.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself! It’s so simple yet so true. I think I was trying to say that the other day when I mentioned the desire to fling a couple of my pieces across the room only to reverse course and find a new sgraffito design. My goal of a pot a day could pose a bit of a challenge, but it would also provide my days with structure – especially those days where I’m not terribly motivated.
Taking that possibility in stride, would the failed firings/constructions be included in my show? I think yes, since it shows the process of working with clay and the nuances of working towards an unpredictable outcome.
My only question is where would I store 365 ceramic pieces??? Maybe a bigger question would be, who would buy those pots so they wouldn’t have to be in storage forever and ever? Okay, I may just be musing outloud here, so no promises.
Oops! 5/18 – I signed on this am only to notice that comments were turned off. I think Blogger just did an upgrade and now comments have to be enabled under “post options” on the actual posting. I’m not sure that’s a glitch or not.
