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Video "a Love Story In Clay"


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My husband Bill and I are very private, low-profile people, but when Piedmont Crafts Guild, the oldest crafts guild in NC, asked us to participate in a series of short videos about guild members, we couldn't say 'no' to a guild that has done so much for so many.  Consequently, we spent a day last summer with a mini film crew at our rural South Carolina home near the Catawba Indian Nation, whose thousands of years of pottery tradition my husband carries on.  In contrast, as some of you know from the outpouring of help that I've received from this forum, I am a self-taught sculptor.  What I really like about the video is how it shows that, like everyone who chooses to work in clay, our love for the medium enriches and defines our life.  (What I don't love, having just seen the film, is that it now occurs to me that taking a few minutes to apply cosmetics (on me, not Bill) might have been a good investment of my time before the crew arrived to make a high def video!  :huh:)  Oh well.... 

 

http://shawneestreetmedia.com/2014/01/a-love-story-in-clay-bill-and-jayne-harris/

 

Added note:

 

Thanks, all of you for your kind words and warm response to the video.  I have to say that the decision to focus the video on our relationship along with our work was the choice of the makers, and it struck us as slightly ironic.  After the intensity and intimacy of a shared life in craft, we were adjusting to a new reality that took Bill away from home and studio for all but a few hours a day.  After 25 years of working side by side, our new reality is that his days as Chief of the Catawba Indian Nation are filled with administrative duties for a tribe of 3,000, lobbying Congress on Native issues, and handling intense political pressure as he works to regain some of the sovereign rights lost to his tribe. Meanwhile I keep the homefires burning and look forward to the day when his crucial work on behalf of his tribe is done and I regain my studio partner.

 

The video shows us working on several pieces that are pictured in their completed states below.

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Oh Jayne, you look terrific and your video is one that I cannot wait to share with younger (college-age) students! ...so many great lessons that are worked through this story: persistence, love, flexibility, passion, the value of tradition and the strength of women artists.  I salute you and Bill for who you are and what you do!

-Paul

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Thank you Jayne for sharing such a lovely, open and honest video. So very refreshing to see the love you and Bill have for each other and your work with clay. Makeup? Nope, you have nothing to cover up.

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Jayne,

 

What a wonderful video!  Your love of clay ,flows over into your love for each other and shows in your work.  Thanks for sharing your video - I took my first sculpting class this winter, but have not had time to create more sculpture since, but I think your video (and seeing your work) may have given me a bit of inspiration!  Thanks!

 

Diz

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I don't normally like pit fired work but those are just great. Reminds me of baking bread in their colours and textures.

Bill loved the idea of his pots as crisp, crusty homemade bread. At least that way when the pot breaks in the fire we could eat it!
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Jayne,

 

What a wonderful video!  Your love of clay ,flows over into your love for each other and shows in your work.  Thanks for sharing your video - I took my first sculpting class this winter, but have not had time to create more sculpture since, but I think your video (and seeing your work) may have given me a bit of inspiration!  Thanks!

 

Diz

You're very welcome to the free inspiration! My technical knowledge doesn't deserve the label of technical knowledge but if ever I can be of assistance you only have to messenger me. Hey, it'd be doing me a favor: I spend so much time alone with my ladies that they're starting to talk to me....And that's probably not a good thing!
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Hi Jane and Bill

We love your work, and I think we would all love to see more.

My wife and I thought that I was spending a little too much personal time with my sculptures. That would be one reason why I recently joined this forum.

  You are both an inspiration, My wife and I hope to work together at some point in the future. I would like to think we will compliment each other as well as you both do.

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Jane and Bill,

The video was beautiful. I am so happy that the two of you are as in sync as you always seemed to be back in the days when you were doing wood and we did shows together. The pieces of your work that I own are some of my favorites around our house.  The clay work is very inspiring and seems to have been the perfect next step for both of you. It was good to see you, only better if in person.

Oh, and by the way, it was always Bill who would have benefited most form makeup.

David Stuart

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Jane and Bill,

The video was beautiful. I am so happy that the two of you are as in sync as you always seemed to be back in the days when you were doing wood and we did shows together. The pieces of your work that I own are some of my favorites around our house.  The clay work is very inspiring and seems to have been the perfect next step for both of you. It was good to see you, only better if in person.

Oh, and by the way, it was always Bill who would have benefited most form makeup.

David Stuart

DAVID!!!!!  What a kick to hear from you! It's been - what? - 15 years??  We last saw you when we three suffered through the blistering hot Atalaya show on the SC coast!  You were always one of our favorite craftspeople (of course, it helped that you could be counted on to arrive even later than we did on set-up day!) Your work has always been among our very favorite pieces of fine craft.  In fact, I just grabbed my camera and shot a photo of my dining table.  Look familiar?  For over 15 years that vase has had pride of place somewhere in our house!  

 

I can't wipe the grin off my face -- and it's not only because of your wisecrack about Bill!!  I can't wait to share your post with him!

 

Jayne

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Hi Jane and Bill

We love your work, and I think we would all love to see more.

My wife and I thought that I was spending a little too much personal time with my sculptures. That would be one reason why I recently joined this forum.

  You are both an inspiration, My wife and I hope to work together at some point in the future. I would like to think we will compliment each other as well as you both do.

Thank you, and may I say that I greatly admire your avatar!  I haven't posted any images recently but I do have some images in my gallery on my profile page. I'm kind of all over the place with my themes, but hoping that eventually I'll figure it out....!   Jayne

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