Sloppy?

slipped plates
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Sometimes, in the course of working, things don't go as planned or the pots aren't as money as they could be. Sometimes the "not caring" after one of these pots leads to more daring maneuvers. Sometimes those maneuvers pay off and leads to other creative paths. The other thing about ceramics is the time lapse of cause and effect. What may "feel" good, often may not work technically. The materials change so much in the process that experience and careful observation have to come into play. Aha, empiricism. Can you "see" the one that's not like the others. I didn't center that one on the banding wheel before I scratched through the slip. But I liked it and went for it. What had I to lose? After all, as Cynthia Bringle might say, "It's just clay." So I try things and wait for the kiln's final say and go from there.

Working within the pottery's restraints requires faith.

If you're a potter, what do you think about the nature of experience and the creative moment? If you're not a potter, how does the nature of risk and discovery effect your work?

Back to it!