Mark and Jennifer are married potters whose ware is adorned with multi-colored African and primitive art motifs. They experimented for several years before finding a style that struck the public's fancy. "You have to make a living. Of all the lines we've had, this is the one that took off," Mark said. "This is a blend right here that satisfies our souls and pays the bills."
Staying true to themselves
At the same time, none of the potters can be accused of selling-out. John makes only wood-fired pots in a Japanese-style kiln built into a hill beside his house.
The pots made from this process have a rough finish that is traditional but also subject to going in and out of fashion. John's commitment to this singular method impresses even the other working potters, who know how quickly the public can turn away from a certain style.
But having stuck with his passion for over 25 years, John has a steady stream of customers buying his work. He has also become an acknowledged expert in the field and is invited around the world to demonstrate the subtleties of a method that's thousands of years old.
Revisiting old themes
Mark said that while he is always moving forward, he keeps seeing his earliest ideas creep into his work.
"It starts from the time you start pottery, the evolution of your work," Mark said. "You take bits and pieces of your old ideas and continually incorporate them into your new work."
I know that's true of Mark's work from firsthand experience. Five years earlier, I took a pottery class with him - in a different state - and he showed the class some of his work. When I interviewed him for the newspaper story (after running into him again by chance) I looked at his new work and saw echoes of what I had seen years before. Only the new work was bigger, more confident and much more polished.
Breaking the rules
Robert's father was a commercial artist, who sent his 10-year-old son to art camp for four years and later hired him as a studio apprentice. Though Robert took a different path at first, he eventually circled around and drew on his father's tutelage.
Robert grew tired of being a mug and bowl potter after eight years. He said it had become drudge work. He soon found himself experimenting with different firing practices and decorating finished pots with silver and gold leaf.
Today, most of the work Robert produces, which he refers to as "vessels," has gone too far afield to be considered simply pottery. The sculptural elements and painted designs he adds to each piece make his vessels more a line of objets d'art.
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
Frank, that has to be one of the most interesting items I've read on Blogcritics. Nice work - what you learned from your subjects shows in your writing.
2 - Ben McLaughlin
I too enjoyed this piece. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about the way music relates to writing, perspective on another media provided some interesting comparsion.