good elephant pottery
  • blog
  • recent work
  • where to buy
  • the potter
  • school
  • contact
  • mailing list

Inertia Works Both Ways

6/29/2011

1 Comment

 
Do I ever have days when I don't want to be in my studio? Absolutely! There are days when inertia is very hard to overcome. Say my shoulder hurts from throwing large pots the day before, or my legs feel wobbly from a long run. Combined with some oppressively humid weather, and maybe I've fired the kiln the night before, which means the studio is basically a sweat lodge. And the studio to-do list contains a lot of chores like cleaning the floor, or mixing glazes. And I've started a good book. On days like these, I might sloth away the entire day on the sofa in front of the air conditioner with the book.

Then there are days when inertia works in my favor. Like when there are 75 lbs of pugged clay waiting for me, the glaze buckets are full, the brown truck just hauled away six large cartons of pots, the weather is not too humid, the Orioles are actually winning the game that is coming through the radio, etc. On days like these, I might finish loading the kiln, then start jotting down the date, firing schedule, number of shelves in my kiln log. I'll look up at the clock to note the time, then go back and cross out the date, because it is technically the next day.
1 Comment

A Poem for My Pugmill

6/14/2011

3 Comments

 
my shoulder and wrists remember
wedging all they could withstand
drove 400 miles with a dozen benjamins 
to buy you secondhand

took practice to get to know you
at first too messy, sticky, or dense
years later your virtue is measured in tons
my gratitude more immense

recycled is better than new
perfectly soft and already round
easy to center, easier to portion
two inches equals one pound

a potter's work can overwhelm
mindful of fatigue and morale
a little help from heavy machinery
my indispensable pal

3 Comments

    author

    Mea Rhee (mee-uh ree),
    ​the potter behind Good Elephant Pottery


    upcoming shows

    TBD

    join the herd

    Receive email notices about upcoming shows/events, and/or the online school.


    Follow me on
    ​Facebook and
    Instagram

    RSS Feed


    categories

    All
    Classes
    In The Studio
    Running A Business
    Shows
    The Art Festival Plan
    The Hourly Earnings Project

    archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.