(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.