Rick Wise Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? When a pot comes out of the kiln and I see it for the first time, I am often disappointed and think it either unattractive or, at best, uninteresting. But very often my opinion will change with time and "second looks" that occur much later. In fact, some of these have become my favorites. I would almost say -- without any evidence whatsoever -- that the colors and textures seem to mature after they leave the kiln. Perhaps the explanation is simply that I had my hopes up too high and that the pots just don't meet my elevated expectations at first glance, but it seems like more than that. Anyone care to comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Yep, sometimes they just need some time in the scrap heap to grow on me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 It’s a common phenomena. It can be really pronounced when you’re firing wood or soda, or if you have a kiln load of items that are in one tone. Taken as a group, especially upon unloading, they can look pretty bland. However when you isolate a piece from it’s kiln siblings and bring it into the real world and interact with it, or let it interact with it’s surroundings, it becomes different. You notice nuances over time, and how the object contrasts or blends with it’s surroundings. I’ve had the same thing happen with pots that were super exciting and beautiful when fresh out of the kiln, and as I used them, they became garish, or too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 This is the very definition of my problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 My cure is like today-unloaded 47 cubic feet of glaze wares in two kilns-packed much of it into 6 different deliveries and now after lunch and doing all the paperwork I will drop them off over a 25 mile area at 6 drop offs. Those pots I saw for mere moments-checking for flaws in glaze etc then into boxes with my assistant . So these pots will not grow on me as now thats someone else's issue now . I do know this one as it's that way with some of my one of a kind salt wares. Just not my production line of porcelain Ocassioanlly a real gem will pop out in that line and it shows right away-I have a bowl today that jumps out at you. I'm keeping it for a show in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Wise Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 1 hour ago, Joseph Fireborn said: This is the very definition of my problem. Interesting comment. Care to elaborate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam2015 Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 Rick, that quite often happens to me, but it's not always the result of high hopes, but instead I just envisioned the results to be different. Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 3 hours ago, Rick Wise said: Interesting comment. Care to elaborate? Most kiln loads are a disappointment to what I have built in my head. I am working on it though. I have narrowed my work down to 1 clay, 1 slip, and 1 glaze. So it is improving. I just recently settled on a kiln schedule again after losing the one I was using for over 2 years. So I am 75% of the way there. I am on isolation right now so I am planning on working these next 10 days! Hopefully I won't experience this phenomenon again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Wise Posted March 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 (Fireborn. What a great name for a potter.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 10 hours ago, Rick Wise said: (Fireborn. What a great name for a potter.) It is quiet silly! But I like the last name. It's a long story, I posted somewhere here before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 I have pots fresh out of the kiln that I loved and then was disappointed in them later. Other pots that I wondered why I didn't like them when I took them out of the kiln. What baffles me the most is the work I have a strong dislike for that other people love. My husbands car restoration garage is next to my studio, I will often have a car guy or his wife wonder into my studio. Usually they are drawn to that pot like bug to a porch light, I ask them why they like it but they don't know. I usually give it to them as a gift and question my own taste in art. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 And then there is the spouse as a critic or should I say "a balance"? Occasionally I'll pull a pot out of the kiln whose glaze isn't exactly as I anticipated or I forgot a step in the glazing process, I'm disappointed in the outcome because it's not what I expected, and my wife will say "That looks really cool...I like it". Other times I'll put out a piece that I'm not totally enamored of and a customer will just love it and buy it. Art and beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Wise Posted March 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 It comforts me that these experiences seem to be so universal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted March 12, 2021 Report Share Posted March 12, 2021 (What baffles me the most is the work I have a strong dislike for that other people love) I learned that lesson in the 70s The thing is the ugliest pot you thiink you ever made will be someones pride and joy. Their is NO ACCOUNTING FOR TASTE This takes a potter a long while to wrap around. This little storu sums it up well You have a shelve at an art show with your best work-the shelve is a bit thin only a few pots but they are the great ones-sales are very slow. You mix in some ones that are still functional in every way but you hate them. soon pots -all pots are selling like crazy-whats up you say-well its the no accounting for taste rule Been there done that. for me I no longer have that view as what I love and what others love is just not important anymore. As long as the work is nice and functional (no seconds) Its out on display-I'm not a beginer so I'm not speaking about those type of pots at all. Just pots that are everyday ones mixed in with increadiable ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted March 14, 2021 Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 I favor the art of the re-glaze/re-fire when the ones I don't care for have not grown on me within a few weeks, but still have potential-not ready to meet Mr. Hammer. Then it is fun to pile on more color & see what happens next. I didn't like the way my last mask came out--it is going to get some additional glazes and go back in for another round in my next kiln load. And if I still don't like it, I'll go for a 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted March 14, 2021 Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 On 3/11/2021 at 10:54 AM, Rick Wise said: It comforts me that these experiences seem to be so universal. My take on it, often the creator has a specific vision and expectation. Once a pot is outside that expectation often the creator will deem it a failure and be a harsh critic of their own work. Time often tempers expectation and folks have very different tastes. So if the form is strong and the construction good, someone may love it. Maybe after a few weeks you will too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebekah Krieger Posted March 27, 2021 Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 Just the opposite for me! Hahaha I think I have a nice pot and a couple months later it gets aggressively thrown into the trash (hard enough to break it) While cleaning my studio I often think “why the hell did I save that on the “sell” shelf”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted March 27, 2021 Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 4 hours ago, Rebekah Krieger said: I think I have a nice pot and a couple months later it gets aggressively thrown into the trash (hard enough to break it) While cleaning my studio I often think “why the hell did I save that on the “sell” shelf”. Just perfecting your craft, we have all done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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