The Source: Scott Goldberg

our Scott Goldberg batter bowl

After all the polling and input from the good folks of the internet, I decided it was time to go to the source of my stubby handle dreams. This Scott Goldberg batter bowl has been making regular appearances at our pancake breakfasts and is probably the culprit of my supposedly new idea of putting different handles on my bowls. It seems that it had been working on my subconscious for a long time and exerted itself during a lull in the excitement the other day.

One of the things I noticed right off the bat, was this handle's scale in relation to the pot and the angle it comes off the pot.
Here was one of my attempts of a different handle. Still a little too tongue-like, and a little vulnerable. The profile of Scott's bowl is continued nicely with the angle of it's handle, where mine sort sticks out and is certainly prone to getting knocked off. As a matter of fact, just handling the bowls in their infancy has shown me that they are fragile. (This should raise a big flag.) The whole point for this handle is to convey a certain directness and boldness, even, which I think Scott's bowl does successfully.

Besides having a gorgeous glaze and pattern, which can't be discounted as I react to the bowl's elements, the bluntness of the handle is a quality that gives me the impression of boldness and directness. The angular end is resolved in the way that it was paddled/cut, whereas mine are left somewhat unresolved (sorry no picture of mine ) and I love the way the brown and black glazes highlight the edges.

Briefly a word about the weather...another snow day for the schools! According to Stacey, there have been only 5 full days of school since the Christmas break! What are we to do ? What do parents who aren't work-at-home potters and jewelers do for day care for their kids!!!


Now back to pottery!
I did resolve to finish up the board of bowls with my standard handles. Best to stick with something I'm good at while continuing to work in the background with these other ideas. Development of new ideas comes by way of scholarship. The standard pots pay the tuition for these scholarship "students"! And in economic terms, the R and D (scholarship) has to be in the budget!

Here are the tankards and small jugs handled and ready to bisque.

Unfortunately I feel a little rushed to resolve this post and publish it. My apologies. I've spent more time that I intended, but it has been very helpful to write about and try to explain my thoughts. This is one of the benefits from blogging about one's pottery. If you are potting and not blogging, I would recommend that you at least keep a notebook and put in writing some of your questions. Then try answering these questions.

Also I recommend taking lots of pictures of your work at different stages of their development. You will begin to see them in a different way. Sometimes we idealize what we have made and pictures are way of keeping a certain fantasy in check.

And if you're already keeping a journal and already taking lots of picture, the blog is a great vehicle to keep it all organized. Emily Murphy has some great blog posts that cover blogging and of course there are videos and other how to DIY on blogging on the internet!

OK, time for some more research in the pot shop!