The foundation of Robert's line is still thrown and fired pottery, but after achieving mastery in the basics he was able to "break the rules" and take his craft in a new direction.
Some got lucky, some made their own luck
At the age of 16, Bill was taught the art of production pottery by a highly respected teacher. That experience led him to a prestigious training program in England and even sent him to Africa where he set up pottery studios as part of a World Bank program.
At 51, Bill has been a working potter for 35 years.
Susan largely taught herself, through trial and error. After graduating from college, she spent a year as a "glorified secretary," and just said no to a lifetime of drudgery.
Susan had taken six pottery classes - as electives - in college, however, and she made the plunge. She worked part-time for a weaver while she practiced her art in the chicken coop. Five years later, she was supporting herself full-time.
At 55, Susan has been a working potter for 30 years.
Surpassing themselves through practice
All of the potters told stories about how they achieved breakthroughs in their craft. In every instance it came after years of diligent effort - and during ordinary work.
Several of them described a moment when they were suddenly able to do work that had eluded them before. "I was working a pot one day and I brought it up totally differently. I thought, 'I couldn't have done that five years ago,'" Mark said, adding, "that's craft."
Belief in their art
Asking any of the potters why they do what they do elicits a blank, surprised look. To them it's obvious — their work improves the world.
"Think about how many hours in your life you spend eating and drinking," Bill said. "Doing it from a handmade pot makes your life a little more pleasant each day."
Robert is convinced his fine art vessels can make a difference people's lives. "They're getting a little piece of me, part of my spirit goes into each one of these," he said.
"In this wacko world we're in, they can provide some sort of serenity and comfort when they're lived with in the home."
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.