Why Pottery? | March 5, 2012

[Pres]

In a book purchased from a 2nd hand bookstore was a cardboard bookmark. The quote on it was by Stanley Tucci (actor), but I think it goes for anyone who wants to create anything:

 

"If you find that thing you love, it doesn't necessarily matter whether you do it well or not--you just need to do it"

 

 

I think that ties in with what Mea wrote, and as with most things, the more you do something the better you get. How sweet is that? If it makes you happy, that will spill over into the lives of everyone around you and spread like ripples on a pond. Sort of like hugs--you gotta share 'em. So get busy and make pots.

 

 

An old shop teacher at the school I worked at used to tell the kids: Find a career that you love doing, and you'll never have to work a day of your life. I started using it with mine also, and it seemed like it fit me pretty well.

[Italaa]

Dear Chris,

 

I live in Zagreb, Croatia, and pottery here is in such low level you couldn't imagine. When I read your posts from US and see how many exibitions, fairs, forums etc you have I wish to pack my bags and move to US. But I do not give up, and hope that people will come to their sense, and move from this consumer/cheap/mass production/eastern/low quality pottery to a unique, hand made with love, and artistic pottery...

 

There is issue of money. Here people work for ca 1000 USD per month, and they usually can't afford vase or bowl for 100-200 USD or so. They like it, they would love to have it, but it is too expensive for them. However I do not think it will ever extinct because we need to create things, and everybody wants to have something individual, unique.. It is in our nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its a pity that the existing (and recently extinct) pottery traditions of Croatia aren't cherished by government or public there. There are still potters at Potravlje near Sinj, although those who worked until recently in Lika were better. THese potters worked on hand-wheels, but foot wheel potters operated at Rastoki near Korlovac (in Jastrebarsko muzej) until a few years ago, and there are still potters near Varazdini. None of the traditional potters were respected by government at any level - government is too keen to show Croatia as shiny and modern, so ignores what makes it interesting and distinctive. These were/are all traditions making domestic pottery for kitchen use, but they also had artistic merit (even more so those from nr Visoko in Bosnia, many examples of which are held in the Zagreb ethnographic museum stores). I don't think money explains the poor state of pottery (and most other artisitc expressions and traditional crafts) in Croatia - all of these local traditions could have been adapted, and could still be adapted. It is mainly a matter of interest, and there are some excellent clays in Croatia which can be dug by anyone; also excellent climate and wood resources for pottery. It is a matter of having sufficient interest and desire to make beautiful things, and not be afraid to work at something traditionally associated with the 'impoverished peasantry'.