3.25.2007

Try to stay focused

I feel like I've gotten alot done this week. I've arranged for photo's to be taken of my work, I've pre-packed up pots for a show I"m in, in a few weeks and I've applied to some shows and gotten pots thrown.

I still have been struggling everyday with staying focused on my decoration. I really want to do so much new stuff and I know I will...I always do. I just don't see how people do the same work over and over again and don't get sick of it. I'm always re-inventing my work. New forms, new surface..ect. I have stayed consistent with my glaze lately. I know changing work all the time has got to be bad but I think its also good. In my head everyday I just go back and forth. I obsess about it. How I can keep doing the surface work sort of the same way but different. I would love to come up with some new imagery for my pots but then I would really be getting away from continuity of some sort. Do I really have any??? So does this mean that those people that never change there forms or there surface don't "suffer" with some sort of attention issue? Does it mean they aren't as creative and that they are more mechanical in the way they go about learning and creating something?

I have alot of computer and math related people who take my class. I'm always kind of amused when I get a bunch of beginning students in my class and find out what they do for a living. The math or computer people usually have a hard time accepting that they can't make a perfect pot. When these people enter into my intermediate class, they have this issue as well. When I ask them what they would like to do for the session they say" perfect my pots". They always want to learn how to throw a classic, round simple form. So..I guess why I am talking about this is because I think maybe I've answered my question about jumping around with form and surface. I was never good at math....hated math except for geometry. Geometry you could "see" the math, it wasn't just numbers that made no sense. Algebra...oh good lord, it was a miracle I made it through that class. So.......I guess my pots will always change and I know one will never see a really classic, simple form on my sale shelves. Doesn't everything need to be altered???

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jen,

I once was showing students how to alter a cylinder into an oval (pretty basic stuff). One of the students got very annoyed and said why sould you ever make a pot that wasn't a perfect circle? I always thought that was kind of an off the wall comment. I had the exact opposite feelings, why would you always make circular pots? Everyone has there tastes. I have abandoned pots at the moment to do just tiles. Small and large. Basically so I could work out some surface treats on a flat surface before tackling pots. I am also just not interested in pots at the moment. Mommyhood is playing games with the ole noodle.

Anonymous said...

Yes - you see, the form is simply an extension of one's desire to express their inner self by creating an alternative reality. I feel that the esthetic, coupled with the geometric, appeals to one's sense of self awareness. Perhaps you should consider doing as I do and adopting a holistic approach to throwing pots that takes into account one's place within nature's grand tapestry.

Jen Mecca said...

( Excuse me Amy...I need to Answer"Hieronymous" on second)

JOSEPH, GET OFF MY BLOG!!!

I got down the tapestry and that was the clue!

I"m so sorry all, my husband thinks he's funny.

Anonymous said...

OK - well you stay off mine - H

Jen Mecca said...

Oh my dear Hieronymus..your just a poor sport because I caught you sooner than you thought. Silly man.

I win!!!

Ron said...

Whoa, I was wondering who that hieronymus pots person was. I was thinking, I sure hope he doesn't post on my site because he's a wacko and I can't deal with that. Ha. Good one Joey. (I had to look up what hieronymus means by the way)