Thursday, September 6, 2012

My kind of day


Yesterday was one of those days I love. I just worked. I worked at a slow pace and enjoyed it. No doubts, no comparing myself to anyone else's work that I think is better than mine, no worries about other things I needed to be doing, no watching the clock to see how many of something I could make in an hour, no throwing things in the recycle bucket because it didn't meet my way too critical standards. I just worked. And I made two pieces. I have resigned myself to the fact that I cannot mass produce work, and I shouldn't. I want my pieces to get better, even more well crafted, even more special. And they can't get there by watching the clock and worrying about how much per hour I'm getting paid. That's not what my art is all about, although some days I would love to just sit at the wheel and throw lots of bowls. But there's that glaze thing.... why is that such a thorn to me?
I made this box. As you know, I have a slight obsession with cemeteries and this reminds me of those really cool above ground crypts. I could build a whole cemetery with some of my forms, haha!  I had been looking at photos the other day of cemeteries, so I guess that's where this came from. I'm wanting to do some raku again, this will be a good piece for that I think..... and it's almost functional, it's a container at least :)

Tuesday the sweet girl that bought the cello piece from me came by with her really cute mom and her grandfather's pocket watch. We worked together and planned a piece to honor him and incorporate his watch. I worked on that yesterday although I went out and looked at it this morning and it's not quite right, so I may start over.... this needs to be a just right piece....
Lots to finish up today. I've had the week to myself because Gerry has been in Charlotte covering the Democratic Convention since I think last Friday, I've lost track. He was with Michele Obama yesterday and shot such a beautiful photo of her. He's coming home so I'll have distraction again, but in a good way.... off to work I go for now!

10 comments:

Ross Munro said...

Tracey, I love to read that you just worked at your own pace without any doubts. You are valuing your work for the treasure that it is. That they can sell is a wonderful bonus. You're wise to concentrate on the quality first. Perhaps those experiments with quantity and timing were useful to bring you to this state!

Tracey Broome said...

Ross, I think you ars so right, it was a necessary process, to get some of those voices out of my head that were saying "is that all you can make?"
Well, yeah that is all I can make, so what!

Hollis Engley said...

I love watching where all of this is going, Trace. And you're doing it right.

Michèle Hastings said...

it's too depressing to narrow it down to an hourly wage, better to not go there.
Hurray for Gerry to be covering the convention! Will you have a link to his photo of Michelle Obama?

Tracey Broome said...

Hollis, the question is, where is it all going, haha!
Michele, you can google Gerry Broome and democratic convention and probably see his pics. He has mostly been covering the protests, and then he was with Biden one day and Michele another day. Today, who knows with the rain.....
Hourly wage, ha! you really can't think about that as an craftsperson can you :(

cookingwithgas said...

Yep- like it!

Lori Buff said...

You have found what we all strive for, at least once in a while.
I like that piece, you've got these grave markers on your mind, that's obvious, go with it. I can't wait to see how these raku.

Anonymous said...

i love a good cemetary, too. our first date was at a cemetary 33 yrs ago. love this box- it's housing some serious soul.

Tracey Broome said...

Thanks, glad ya'll like the box, it took awhile but I think it will raku beautifully.
A date in a cemetery sounds like a good time to me, haha!

Anonymous said...

we told my mother we were going miniature golfing!