There's a video making the blog rounds by Chris Staley called
Liking Mistakes which struck a chord with me. I can remember so many mistakes, or what I thought were mistakes, in my pottery. For instance the red bowl above an otherwise acceptable bowl but for the black dot just below the rim on the inside. A clay impurity bursting forth during the firing. A little bit of serendipity.
So many times the pieces I haven't initially liked have been the ones folks have chosen first from my pottery. So today I'm embracing my pottery mistakes. Do you have any handmade pottery with what might be considered a mistake? Is that why you chose it?
It got up to 85 today, perfect weather for our yard sale. I sold more pottery than I ever have before in one day. Thank goodness for small favors. I did so many firings this past month I've been dreading receiving the electric bill.
There are quite a few local folks who are collecting my pottery. One lady bought two boxes, yes boxes, full of pottery. Another lady bought a whole bag full. Even some of my experimental pieces sold. Thanks so much. I'll have more pottery tomorrow so come on by and see what else I have to sell. This post is part of
Artists in Blogland show and tell Saturday. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
Glad your sale is going well! Beautiful work is always easier to sell.
ReplyDeleteTwo boxes! How nice! What the man in the video said about mistakes is related to what I wrote in my blog on the 20th. It was very interesting, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I loved that video! Thanks for sharing it. And congrats on your pottery sales. I'm fairly new to working with clay (about 2 years now), but have found that some of my mistakes have either turned out to be my favorite piece... or someone else's??
ReplyDeleteWell, I sure like the two pieces I bought from you!!! Good luck, Linda, and good job!
ReplyDeleteIt was so good to hear from you. You and several others had disappeared from my reading list. Don't know what happened. I'll reenter you and see what happens. I did get a new bed and am sure it helped. What I think helped more was the memory foam mattress pad I put on top. I'd try that first if I were you. I have friends that swear by oil swirling, I just couldn't get into it. I wish Gary luck. Relief is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHow nice that you have found patrons of your work. What a rewarding feeling that must be.
I love your stack of little pottery dishes. Congrats on all your sales! Wish it was 85 here in PA...
ReplyDeleteThanks for reposting that video, now I might finally watch it. But I'm out the door for rehearsal just now. I do like the little red bowl with dark spot...which is a kiss of fate. Bet someone else will too. Great to hear of good sales!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad when he was a few years living in the US mistook(he was often mistaking words)the phrase: worldy possessions for worry possessions. From that day forward my mom always called them worry possessions because she liked that much better & thought it was more descriptive. Anyway, that is a long way of saying, sometimes mistakes are better than the original intent.
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear you had a successful sale...is this an annual sale? I am sure people will be looking for your sale next year. Thank you for sharing the video...I needed to hear the message :)
ReplyDeleteI am very glad that your sale went so well. And the 'mistakes'? Something which is a guarantee of individuality - and that the object is unique. What's not to love in that?
ReplyDeleteLOVE that bottom piece - so intriguing! I don't think that people would realize that the black dot was a "mistake" unless you told them - I would've assumed that it was purposeful!
ReplyDeleteHi John, thanks so much, we were lucky to have so many folks come by.
ReplyDeleteHi Midori, thanks, I'll have to go back and re-read your blog for that day.
Hi Rian, thanks, a heartfelt video for sure and yes the pieces I sometimes don't like are the very ones other's do. Ha.
Hi Gigi, thanks, so glad you like them; making work in clay keeps me out of trouble. Ha.
Hi Patti, thanks, we had a great weekend. We have a better mattress now but not sure how that can help his thumbs. Ha.
Hi Linda, thanks, well soon we will be wishing it wasn't warm here. those little dishes are great sellers as they are so versatile - now I need to make more.
Hi Barbara, thanks, the kiss of fate is the perfect description.
Hi Mary, thanks, worry possessions, possessions you worry you wish you hadn't bought. Ha. Yes the mistakes are sometimes better than what was intended.
Hi Dee, thanks, well we didn't consider it an annual sale but we have had a yard sale each year so I think folks thought it was annual and so I guess it is. Ha. funny how it turned out that way. We are often our worst critics.
Hi Elephant's Child, thanks, many folks said just those words that they liked my work because of it's individuality.
Hi Michellem, thanks, in person the black dot was more of a slight depression and it was reduction fired piece so those knowing about pottery would realize it, but in the end it was part of the charm of the piece.
I really enjoyed the Liking Mistakes video, thanks. I find some of my mistakes I can live with, and others just irritate me! But as you say, what grates with one person may well appeal to another..one of the great things about art. Congratulations on the yard sale too, it's nice when local people start getting to know and collect your work.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, I had tears in my eyes after watching that video - thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes we humans can strive so much for perfection that we can lose the sense of who we are. Or, we try to eliminate the marks or even the essence of the creator. We're not machines, we're fallible humans that are perfectly imperfect.
Individuals, everyone of us.
Thanks so much for this reminder Linda.
Your work is beautiful, individual and unique. Those who buy from you are connecting to you.
That is an honour in itself :)