QotW: Do you think it takes a certain mentality or emotional state be engage with clay as a potter?

[Pres]

Hi folks, no new suggestions for a QotW in the pool, or at least I have gone through the ones that had piled up. However, I had thought that I posted in one other other QotW posts about the mentality of potters. There was some response to be asking if it was needed for the QotW so:

QotW: Do you think it takes a certain mentality or emotional state be engage with clay as a potter? Please state with examples or personal perspective.

I have often wondered what it was that got me about clay over the years. I had played with clay, done a little here and there in elementary school, and painted some bisqueware when at Hickam AFB in Hawaii, but not much to speak of. In the Summer of 1971, I took a Summer class with my fiancé in Ceramics. This included wheel throwing and handbuilding in 9 weeks. I sat on the wheel the first day completely frustrated after the demonstration by the teacher of how to throw a pot on the wheel (Randolph motorized kick wheels). I could not center, something that seemed so easy, and ended with slop after the 3 hr session with several balls of clay gone through. I couldn't even get the hang of the wedging. . . nothing seemed natural. The feel of the clay in my fingers though was unbelievable, so I trudged on. I think I had nine pieces total out of the class, and received a B. Ceramics II was different, I could wedge, and center, and even throw a nine inch cylinder with 3 lbs of clay. I would wedge in the beginning of class, all of the balls I would use allotted for specific forms. The days were structured, and the rhythm of wedging and throwing seemed to come naturally. I threw casseroles, a teapot, some vases and other pieces ending the course with maybe 20 pieces and an A. I believe that the structure of the process attracted me, and held my interest, I really love the feel of pulling the clay, centering pieces and especially shaping the form to the greatest amount of inflation without loosing balance,

I found out late in life after my son was diagnosed with ADHD, that I probably was the same as was my Dad. Our work areas were always in disarray, and our thinking process were often erratic.  I found the only way to study in college was to take an immense amount of notes and then recopy every night religiously, then at the end of the semester recopy all of the notes again. . . but each copying of the notes was to shorten or paraphrase the information established in the notes. I also would Outline the text books and recopy/condense the outlines. These techniques allowed me to test in classes much better, but when doing studio classes of any sort, I had no trouble remembering things. So yes, I believe that it takes a certain mental state or even emotional state to work in clay or to be attracted to it. I still get physical, mental and emotional calmness when wedging, throwing, glazing or anything else involving clay. . . .with one exception. .. . .clean up!

Whoops, reminder from @Min that @LeeU posted : Do people who work with clay have a tendency towards certain personalities ?" Might be interesting!

Sorry, but I imagine the two are similar in intent. . . sorry @LeeU, I did not mean to overlook your question, thanks for submitting it.

best,

Pres

[LeeU]

I'm big on Serendipity...I've just spent some time yesterday and today updating my Hidden Masks text in the Gallery, and adding to the Aesthetics and Philosophy Forum topic "What Was I Thinking?", which is about....what were you thinking? All of which addresses the QotW re a certain mentality or emotional state tied to engaging with clay.

I assume I may take the liberty of adding  clay artists, for those who may not self-descibe as being potters.  I was once a potter, and while I did some great mugs-truly nice-and decent small bowls, most of my work is sculptural/functional. Some of the techniques, best practices craftmanship, and motivational approach might differ, but I figure clay is clay and working with clay is working with clay, and the drive to create is the drive to create, so I feel free to pipe up.

I did a search: Googled personality types of potters. The 1st hit was https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/potter/personality/  Every subsequent hit was all about Harry P.

I'll leave speculation, or evidence-based, valid/reliable research results, on potters' personality attributes (or diagnoses LOL) to others. My 2-cents worth is that we Clay People may  comprise a kind of social strata-using the term loosly- via a commonality of emotional/mentality internal/external world views, but I have no clue as to what those might be. Fun topic!

 

[neilestrick]

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.

They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Sitting down and trying to answer this one feels like trying to answer the chicken vs egg question. Because this question came out of a thread asking how clay has shaped you and I come from a position of finding clay in my formative years, I’m trying to tease out in my own head if there a disposition that leads you to clay, or does working with clay creates some kind of disposition. I think given enough time, it’s a bit of both. 

This one is really make me chew on how to put my thoughts into words. I’m going to have to think about it a bit and come back! 

 

[JohnnyK]

I would call it "creative outlet"...I spent years working with Photoshop to let my creative juices flow in photography and got to be very good at what I was doing and then came CLAY! I've since put my photography on the back burner as I pursue what I can do with clay, but even that is put on hold as I deal with the ramifications of the storms we are having here in California. While the rainfall is phenomenal and welcome, so much continuous rain is saturating the ground. My big fear now is that, with multiple oak trees in the 70-foot height range, the 60mph wind gusts may topple some of these giants, meaning a little more yardwork...Anyway, when things settle down a little, I'll be able to get back in the studio and let the creativity flow...

[Denice]

I took the career test LeeU mentioned,  I had potter show up as a suggested career among all of the other artistic careers.    They listed a few that had very little to do with art and many of the jobs  I have done in my life time.   I became a potter when I was 12 years old and my art teacher gave me a ball of clay and told the class to make anything you want.  All of the other kids started pounding our ash trays,  so I checked with her that I really could make anything.  She said yes.  I had been reading a book about Egyptian cats and I made a cat pendant.  When it was fired  she hung it in the schools big display case for the rest of the year.  I had decided that clay was magic and you could make anything with it.  I have studied other arts and always come back to clay.  It could be we all have it in our DNA and it gets switched on by some event, aren't we the lucky ones.      Denice

[Mark C.]

I was exposed to clay as a 4-or 5 grader making pinch pots learning about Pueblo Indians . That exposure did nothing for me then. Still have that pot somewhere?

Later as a 17-18 year teenager I was exposed to clay in school and with a friend we decided to take private  throwing lessons as well. The rest is history

I should add at that time life was about as far from centered as a bent hula hoop in many regards-just lost my brother from suicide and was taking flying lessons  to get my glider pilots license -at that time you needed power plane license 1st. It was the late 60s  and was experimenting with ---(need I say more?). Clay slowly took hold . I gave up after solo on the lessons deciding that a license would only be good to take friends on joy rides. I spent my money ona power wheel for home use and to take to collage with me. I never once had a thought about clay other than it slowly seducing me and creating a need to learn every aspect of it while having fun with it and making a few $s along the way. 5o years later I still am learning. I do think its in my DNA as it was also in one of my brothers (who took his own life at an early age)

It was a slow organic process  for me. I never thought about as a job until later in my 40s.

I got the art degree ,but really its was all about ceramics for me whether or not I knew it or not. I was hooked like a drug-still am. It coffee and clay and ocean as they all have a grip on me these days

I will add the ocean also has had the same effect on me and I am most happy underwater since a small kid before clay.

[Pres]

Ever since a kid, I knew I wanted to do art. For years it was drawing, painting,, crafty stuff and other things. The college thing was natural, like walking across a river on wet rocks. Once accredited as a teacher, I thought of going the MFA, but back then 2 years of residency when I already had a wife and child was not in the mix. In the 80's I was working with another arts teacher, a music teacher to write a grant to put in an arts computer studio. We got the grant and I started teaching animation, and he taught computerized music, which we assembled into videos. I found that I had a natural feel for using the mouse and pen interfaces, not much on programming but on the creative visual end. This went along with the pottery as I could enjoy siting on the computer putting together frames in an animation to tell a story. . . .analogous to throwing. I still find myself creating labels, glaze databases, art work for stamps and other things on the computer. I have met other potters that seem to have the same feel on the computer.

 

best,

Pres 

[Mark C.]

I also should mention my family back then was 4 kids and we all where incuraged in the arts at a young age. My mother was a high school teacher and a junior collage teacher, My older sister taught  3-5 grades for 35 years. My oldest brother was a proffesor of  art at UCSB for 25 years teaching  lithography . My suicide brother was a good artist  and did some work in clay before his life ended. Clay got me at the right time. Never wanted to teach but I have done a little over the past 50 years all for free .Mainly I have cut my own path and lived the consequences . I would not have it any other way.

Edited January 15, 2023 by Mark C.

[Hulk]

Is a particular emotional type/profile and/or mental framework/outlook required to play with clay?
Good Question!

Short answer
Only somewhat, yes.

Medium answer
Only somewhat, on account of I believe the typical human is flexible enough to adapt to challenges well outside of their comfortable "wheelhouse."

Longer answer
Many potters are potting by choice (rather than necessity); for them/us, I'd say yes.
Clay involves putting the hands directly on and getting "dirty."
It's not for everyone.

I like feeling clean, however, I've been into tools, fabricating, taking things apart, repairing, and reassembling for as long as I can remember, and the chips, dust, flakes, dirt, grit, grease, oil, et cetera that's involved hasn't deterred. So, there's that.
Beyond the garage/basement/workshop, we spent a lot of time outside whilst growing up, doing stuff.

From there, so many directions to take with this question!
How I've wanted to learn to throw for a very long time, just something that caught my eye, never forgot it.
How much I've enjoyed physical engagement, to the point of extreme excess in endurance sport, and just normal excess in work for pay - running machines, in a few trades, et cetera.
How much I dig the details - practical details - of glazes and firing, technique, history ...everything (up to a point)!
How satisfying it is to make things that others use and appreciate.
...and more.

What looms, in my memory, an experience in the "Mainstreaming" class (required to keep my teaching credentials current) I took some thirty-two years ago.
The instructor had us complete several inventories (psychological, mental, emotional, thinking/learning stuff), then we shared our outcomes. The instructor had checked with me aforehand, would it be ok with me to discuss my results frankly with the class, last? Sure, of course. The instructor said this type of profile, where there's a significant "lobe" in each quadrant - rather than the usual one or two dominant quadrants - is somewhat uncommon; what is more uncommon is the depth and breadth in each quadrant.
You could hear a pin drop at that point.
The instructor explained that they fully believed the profiles to be accurate - they had been waaaatching me!
Still, you could hear a pin drop.
From there, the instructor explained what life is like for people "like you," which sounded rather familiar, yes, and summed up with somewhat about how it can be difficult to be like you, Tom, and it is difficult for the others in your life.
Oh.
The instructor thanked me, this is probably good for you, and certainly good the rest of the class, to know there are more of "you" out there.

Apparently, I don't have an emotional profile/type, nor a mental framework/outlook.
I remember this idea, occasionally, and I try to fully appreciate those that put up with me!

[Pres]

Unfortunately, I did the same test, and found that 3 of the factors were upper left hand quad. .. .don't even remember what it meant, but the tester said it was significant to my choice of career. . . a career I never really chose, just fell into.

 

best,

Pres

[Denice]

2 hours ago, Pres said:

Unfortunately, I did the same test, and found that 3 of the factors were upper left hand quad. .. .don't even remember what it meant, but the tester said it was significant to my choice of career. . . a career I never really chose, just fell into.

 

best,

Pres

I took a test in high school to help determine my direction in life.   The test came back that I should be a architect.  They told me I had the highest score on the section of three dimensional objects and blueprints  they had ever come across.  I didn't get into architecture until I was 55 decided to design my home.  Taught myself how to use a computer by learning three architectural programs.  Denice

[Roberta12]

I have a dear friend, a potter, whose studio is more chaotic than mine.  We laugh about how we would love to work together on projects but we know we could not share the same studio.  We have worked on a couple of things, but it was summer and we were able to expand outside! 

I get frustrated with the stereotype of the unorganized, flakey artist.  So many potters and artists are very structured and attentive to details, (marketing, finances, licenses, etc)  As a person who came to clay late in life, I have noticed that one of the qualities that has held well for me is my persistence.  I have watched others in classes and studios who simply do not have the patience or persistence to take the time to really get to know the medium of clay.  And are easily frustrated with  the failure rate that comes along with a clay practice.

Am I on that ADHD spectrum?  More than likely.  So yes, clay does require focus which is soothing for some of us, but what drew me and my personality to clay was the endless possibilities of the medium.  It can become almost anything.  I am still in love with that!! 

[Min]

50 minutes ago, Roberta12 said:

I get frustrated with the stereotype of the unorganized, flakey artist.

+1,000,000

 

[Denice]

I am much organized than my husband he  works out of piles.  I  work on projects,  I just finished some tiles for a kitchen and I have a long term mural that I am about ready to bisque.   I will clean and organize my studio before I start working on the mural.   I generally don't stop on a project and start on another but the kitchen tile needed to be done NOW!  I will admit that my studio can get messy when I am heading towards the finish line but everything gets cleaned when I finish.   Denice

[Kelly in AK]

What kept me from answering right away is captured in the comments just above. I know lots of clay artists and they’re all so different. Some are finicky, some are sloppy. Some are mystics, others very down to earth. I couldn’t see a pattern, but felt like there was one. 

Suddenly it looks obvious. Clay seduces people. I’ve sat in on many of these discussions: “Is clay art? Is pottery art? If you’re doing sculpture, why does it have to be clay?” The clay people, for one reason or many, just love clay. Deeply. They’ll reason, rationalize, make excuses, but it’s in their heart somehow. Why else would you put up with this stuff? 

Those who do not share this love affair (or are not afflicted with this disorder) cannot quite understand. For the most part, we’re well aware that it seems irrational. If not, sooner or later, we eventually see, and yet continue. It appears irrational only to those who don’t know.

For a few years I took up painting. Modesty does not permit me to say how good I was, but if money tells then I was a better painter than potter. Paintings are flat, they store well. All the trappings, even of the best quality, are pennies compared to the dollars and sweat that goes into making pots. Still, clay pulled me back. Nothing compares to it.

 I would say yes, it’s a certain mentality or emotional state. You can’t keep your hands off of it. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Kelly in AK

[Pres]

There is absolutely nothing that touches me more than the feel of the clay spinning through my fingers during a pull!

 

 

best,

Pres

[Denice]

I agree with Kelly,  potters are people who are seduced by clay.   I filled in one summer for a injured throwing teacher,  at the end of the summer everyone had the basics down and fairly happy with their results.  A third of the students thought it was too much work and frustrating to continue with.  The rest of the class liked the throwing but weren't interested in glaze and clay formulations.   I did have three students that followed me around asking questions,  I think they may have been seduced by their clay.  It makes me wonder why they were seduced and the rest of the class wasn't.  Denice

[Min]

Like has already been said the physicality of working with clay has its draw, for me it’s with both hand building and throwing, but another huge pull is in the number of “why’s” that are involved with working with clay.

Seems the more I learn the more paths or rabbit holes open up, there is just so much to explore, learn and puzzle through. 

As to the QOTW,  if I had to label myself with a personality type I would have to say inquisitive  is probably pretty accurate. As to actually working with the clay itself I know that if I've got something stressful going on it won't be a good day to throw.

[Denice]

When my day in the studio starts out bad,  I just quit and find something else to do.   I usually do some house cleaning, not a great housekeeper but I have a great husband who prefers me to work in the studio than clean the house.  Bad studio turns into a good house cleaning day.    Denice