Some many times during the day I have so many" deep thoughts"; stuff I want to post on here but than they all leave my brain by the time I sit down to post.
One topic I wanted to hit on was brought up on my pal Ron Philbeck site a few days ago. He talked about those "bad voices" that come and invade your head when everyone else around you is selling work and you are not. Its is bad feeling and we all have been there. Its especially hard when all your friends work is selling and yours isn't. You want to be up beat and happy for them but in your head that voice is saying. "What's wrong with my stuff? It must suck." So you quietly look over your pots and second judge what you did to them. You think your prices are to high or you didn't make the right things. Its sometimes really hard to shut that voice up. Sometimes I found it helps to be totally tired believe it or not because your just so over the whole thing you say to your self in a sleepless stupor" ahhhh whatever". ( that was sapose to be funny).
Anyways, I have a theory on those of us who beat ourselves up and are potters. For one, we are use to failing. There are so many things that can go wrong with making pots that you get really use to flub-ups and its almost like the will you sometimes want over a child. You never know what your materials or equipment will throw at you ( like a kid) so when ever you start a new batch of pots you kind of say to yourself,"ok, lets go again". Or as I like to put it" let the games begin". And than, I'm off on a quest with my materials and equipment. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose and most times, I'm use to the losing. Also I think potters tend to be really hard workers with good work ethic. It takes a lot to get everything done! Potting is hard work. I never believed that when I first started out and would listen to all the potters at Cedar Creek, where I got my start talk about how hard making a living at potting really was.
So, that was my lost thought for the week. Please, comment if you have any other theories about this subject I may have forgot to mention!
1 hour ago
2 comments:
I think being a potter also allows one to practice 'non attachment'. It's okay to lose some pots in a firing or if the dogs (in my case, kids in yours) break something. Also we are constantly making things that we put our heart and soul into and then letting them go into the world when we sell them or give them away. I may keep a pot out of a firing now and then, but for the most part they all go into the showroom so they can have a new home and make someone else happy.(and so we can pay the gas bill).
Potting is frustrating, but it's the one thing I really know how to do and the thing I care about, it's important, and that keeps me going. I am sure it's similar for you.
Sometimes I think of my pots as little creatures and yes, it is hard to let them go. When I really love a piece most every time it goes to someone I really want to have it. Amy finally got my butterdish I kept entering into shows.I know it has a good home....kind of like a puppy!
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