LeeU

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The day, through my own negligence, I dropped and watched all of a box of truly wonderful pieces smash to bits.  Each piece unique, no repeated forms, glazes really sweet,  forms useful and great looking, many made with a specific person in mind, some Palladium finish probably never to be seen again...oh I could go on and on.  My style is generally organic, rough, handbuilt, often based on serendipity, and as such, most pieces are not easy to replicate, nor do I want to.  So transporting/carrying the load the way I did was a grievous error of judgement which I shall not repeat! On the plus side, it did force me to take a look at  not trying  so  hard to make each piece so different from the next.  I am now making some forms-like a particular type of tea light holder-pretty similar in size, shape, glaze, and texture/stamp, and I am getting feedback that people like "them"-meaning the core design.  And if I drop and break one, I really can "just" make another. 

"Politics: the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power."
I get dismayed when the misuse of the word and concept of "politics" serves to characterize a topic, about which there may be disagreement, as something that should be off-limits, which may serve to cut off the dialogue.  I am not trying to be "too"  serious or snarky---I just wouldn't want to see discussions of the new Forum features get jettisoned because of sensitivity about critique.
So far,  everything I have learned about the new system has come from folks who are providing us with tips and directions. Reading other people's experiences/questions is helpful as well. Without that input I know I would get frustrated, or lost, and end up feeling negative before giving it a chance. I hate having to learn new systems, it is hard on my remaining and aging brain cells, but upgrades are a necessity. I guess I'm saying I wish there was a forum topic on the pros/cons/"how to" of it--if not a Qotw--to ease the transition! 
OH GOOD GRIEF....I just remembered there IS a thread on the New Forum.  I'll leave my 2-cents  worth about content being (or not being) "political" here, since I don't know where else to put it. Moderator should feel free to remove it if (dare I say it?) it is too political LOL. 

I felt like the results thread was a nice place to see all the work finished, but I also liked seeing the works in progress posted on the actual topic. I feel like the results thread was a lot of extra work for you Joel and we should have just posted our works in progress and final pictures as went in the same place. 

I really enjoyed doing the challenges but I have stopped running any. I felt they had run their course as participation was dwindling and my ideas were not bringing people in. I had fun trying it out and thank you to everybody who joined in but don't feel bad if you didn't. 
 
Anybody is more than welcome to take up the community challenge torch and continue.

I'd like to see people choose one form ... Bowl, mug, vase, container, casserole ... And execute the form several times using different techniques ... Throwing, coiling, soft slab building, firm slab building, slump molds, hump mods, pinching, free form ... Whatever. Just test how many ways you can get to where you are going.

or
 
Any two methods:  slab and extrude, wheel and extrude, slab and coil.........