Monday, August 02, 2010

Supporting other potters


I don't know of any other potters who do not buy other peoples pots. 
I treasure my small pottery collection and pots by other potters far out number my own in my cupboard by a large percentage. There are some good reasons for that... the main one being that I am unusually severe in critiquing my own pots.  I have a hard time overlooking perceived flaws and certainly "see the next one" and how I would improve on certain aspects. I often have to put some time and space between what I have made in order to appreciate what is right about a certain pot.
With other peoples pots I am much less critical - don't have the baggage of intent and expectation that builds during the lengthy making process. They come into my hand standing on their own merit. They are usually put to use and remind me of the potter, circumstance and other details of how they came into my possession. I learn alot from other peoples pots while I use and admire them - technically and aesthetically... sometimes I will buy a pot or a friend will give me a pot and over time various qualities will become more apparent and that influences my own work in one way or another.

These are the pots  bought on our trip to Quebec:

platter by Jacques Marsot - Mystic, QC.
small bowl by Yukari Hazama Iverson, Montreal, QC.

ovaled, wood fired dish by Peter Hamilton, QC.



altered, salt glazed bowl by Robert Compton, Briston, Vermont, U.S.A.



yunomi by Catherine Auriol, Montreal, QC.
something I didn't know before... There are special pairs of yunomi called meoto yunomi (meoto means ‘married couple’). Meoto yunomi usually consist of two cups with the same pattern (sometimes in different colours) but different sizes and often slightly different shapes (the larger cup being the ‘husband’ and the smaller being the ‘wife’ cup).
and Japanese for Yunomi : 湯のみ


large colander, by Luc Archambault, Quebec City, QC.





2 comments:

Jen Mecca said...

Colleen,
Thank you for your post on my blog. I have had other people ask about my set up and I'll try to post something soon about it.
Jennifer Mecca

ladyofclay said...

that would be great - when ever you have time and whatever info you care to include :)