thanks, hulk. i think the beginners who have visited my studio overlook the things that are important to me and just think i am mean or wacky. i am probably viewed as overly fussy about keeping the work under my hand clean by avoiding the tiny bits of clay that have separated from the actual piece being worked on. if you have ever picked up a piece of handwork that has a dozen tiny bits stuck to the bottom, you see what i mean. there are 2 small boxes attached to the table holding my slab roller so i can brush those bits into the box nearest my hand. they sit there for months out of the way and not getting turned into dust on the floor.
those tiny stuck on bits make me unhappy, they call attention to the lack of care that i think we owe ourselves, not just for whoever picks up that piece in future.
and tools need to have a place to be when not in my hand. not scattered all over the room just because i moved the piece or walked to another spot to pick up another tool. so i provide a space for tools. unfortunately, i keep adding more tools and the really generous space i started with now resembles a dump. but exactly where i work is clean and it stays clean and i leave the space clean when the session is over so the next time the space is welcoming.
(funny, i can't seem to work that way in the kitchen)
