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Lesson Plans


Clay/Richard Bresnahan

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
John & Sandra Barrick (astroboy)
Thu, 28 May 1998 00:48:14 -0400

On the topic of clay,I wondered if anyone else caught the PBS airing
of
"Clay,Wood,Fire,Spirit-Pottery of Richard Bresnahan". It was a
wonderful show. I believe it was part of American Masters
series,(which will also be airing "Calder" this month). He makes his
own glazes out of natural resources. Plants especially,he uses his
wood ashes and hay etc. He cleans and then recycles them into his
glazes. He had a fellowship in Japan for 3 years and studied with
the son of a "Living Legend". At the end of 3 years he was honored
with the new name of "Master" at his craft the first Westerner in 13
generations of this family to earn the title.
He lives in Minnesota,and sometimes works at ST.John's,which is also
a Monastery. He also has the Largest Kiln in the World and fired
like 13,000 pieces. Kiln,oh yes that was the tie in.

So as for drawing,(I was in Painting)my friends which were in
Ceramics
barely had drawing classes. It was more of an elective. It seemed
the ones who were "true" creative artists took drawing to enhance
their
clay forms. We had good potters,Victor Babu,Ken Ferguson and Peter
Vogus
would come to town periodically,but it didn't seem as though they
encouraged their students to draw. On that note everyone had to take
a year of foundations(freshman year)before going into their
department.
(Please do not be insulted by the remark "true".

On the topic-free drawing-I'm all for it. Of course I have no
experience with public schools or discipline problems or
overcrowding,so I have nothing to judge that on.

-- 
john barrick
Sandra Barrick
astroboy
http://home.fuse.net/astroboy