(Art) Work Ethic

 

I'm now at the point where I feel that I have only a short portion of time left on this planet. So, I need to kick it into gear art-wise. I guess that if I keep making work at a steady pace, I'll finally get good at it. There is an internal drive, which seems to be connected with learning. But, it's also connected to wins and losses. Gambling. 

Ceramics is a tough master. Stuff fails. A lot. It is such an involved process, that problems can crop up at anytime. Drying issues produce cracking. So, I've learned to heal cracks with my own mix of slip and papier mache. Then, there's bisque firing. If the work isn't completely dry, it blows up. Glazing is it's own minefield. I like to use underglaze, because it's pretty fool proof. Then, there's underglaze washes, and the final trip to the kiln, for a higher temperature blast. Cue cracks and warping.

Nothing is guaranteed. 

It's important to have a work ethic. But, that means that other things suffer: relationships, chores, yard work, house cleaning, friendships, and more. You have to make sacrifices. Recently, I've been researching three artists for my day job. I have my students write reports about Famous Californians. They research a historical figure, dress up like that person, make an informative poster, create a slideshow or video clip, and then deliver their report to the rest of the class. I also do a report, to model my expectations. This year, my choices were Ruth Asawa, Marguerite Wildenhain, and Viola Frey. All of them were exceptionally driven. All of them created a large body of work. All of them taught in some way. And, I know that all of them had the same desire to constantly create that I feel.

Being an artist means putting in the time. But, more than that, I don't think that artists have the ability to NOT put in the time. It's not a choice.

Open Studios Application

Well, I applied to Open Studios. It has been a tough year for getting motivated to make work. Shows were cancelled, and it often felt like the rug was pulled out from under me repeatedly. But, I managed to learn some new things, and to make some new pieces. I really hope that I get juried in, because it will give me some purpose during the summer. Fingers crossed.

 

This Hard Time

 

Today, on my last week of recording videos, I made six language arts videos. Only one was available to load onto YouTube, by the end of the afternoon. The rest are missing. There is no record that I ever made them. But, I did press "record", and zoom took 20 minutes to compress the files, so I know that they exist. Somewhere they are there, in the dark recesses of my computer.

This is a metaphor for my year. I know that I've given my best. I've tried my absolute hardest. But, there is very little proof of success. I have ultimately no control over the academic gains of my students. Those with self-discipline, those who are willing to do their work, will learn. Those who are unwilling, will fall behind, because the "fourth grade slump" is very real. You can't coast.

Today, I received a card from a teacher friend. I've known her for about 18 years. She confided in me that she finally started taking antidepressants. She said that she couldn't take staring at the faceless black zoom boxes anymore. She couldn't stand watching the chaos in the streets every night on the news. I am comforted by the fact that someone who is an outstanding teacher is also feeling the burn. I've been trying to power through this year, to just put on my horse blinders, and run the race. But, it gets harder each day. I am so glad that this friend went to a doctor to get help. She is a kind, caring, and compassionate human being. She is precisely the sort of person that kids need in their lives. Her card was a blessing to me today.

This pandemic time is not for the faint of heart. In two weeks, I will be responsible for the health and well-being of twenty students. I know that they will try to stay safe. But, this virus is stubborn. And, there are people who will not get vaccinated. And, there are people who will not wear masks.

And, today, there were two more mass school shootings...

So, I'm going to go pet the dogs hard, and take some sleeping pills. I will get my book out and read. My book is about an Austrian Jewish woman, who is stuck on the Channel Islands after the Nazi invasion, and the British surrender. It is based on a true story. 

I will keep making art work. I will get through this hard time. People have gone through worse.

Potted Topiaries: Round Two

A few months ago, my dad was cleaning out his food supply cupboard. Some syrup had exploded, and instead of just throwing away a bit of the expired food at once, it was an all hands on deck situation. When the cupboard was emptied, my mom's old sugar and flour tins were discovered. These were old silver and blue cylindrical tins which she always dragged out when she baked. I kept them, and decided to use them as sculpture bases. The design was to involve some urns, with ceramic topiaries on top. These would sit on top of the tins. Of course, the tins would need to be reinforced inside, to support the weight.

I made one vase and topiary. It turned out well, but it was huge. When I set it on the tin, it looked out of scale and ridiculous. Luckily, I only made one. During Spring Break seemed like the ideal time to try again. One set is done, but the other urn and topiary will need to firm up a bit more, before I flip the vase. So, I guess that I'll finish it after school tomorrow. Thank heaven's for daylight savings time!