These came out poorly from the first high fire, then a second high fire yielded ever so slightly better results, but finally a third firing just made me realize they weren't going to make it. I think I will still continue to experiment with this basic design element, the cut-outs that is, but I'm definitely disappointed in the final results. Mostly I'm sad that such a cool collection of shapes was destroyed by crappy glazing which was unfortunately not entirely my own fault.
You might be asking, "If it is so horrible, why are you sharing it with everyone?"
The answer is that art... ceramics incredibly so... is a process. It is a process where more often then not, we fail. A process where we are guaranteed to learn something valuable at every step. A process which develops in oneself, or at least in myself, an incredible sense of humility. I am not ashamed or afraid to make ugly things, this is the cost of my aspirations. I am only afraid I will not make beautiful things often enough. It is when this feeling creeps upon me that the lesson of humility proves invaluable.
My friend said to me this brilliant little piece the other day as we were sitting outside the studio.
"I've come to realize that you can only ask the clay to do as you wish. Sometimes it won't be able to oblige you and you must forgive the clay. In return, it will sometimes forgive you."
So insightful.
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