There is so much to say here! Thank you for taking the time to think through this and write to us.
First off, a visit to the Mingei-kan in Japan 25 years ago changed my life. Across the room I saw a piece of pottery that called out to me as if it knew my name. I learned it was by someone I’d never heard of—Hamada Shoji, and in learning about him, I came to read Yanagi and was carried away by the same ideas you were. It also inspired me to take up pottery myself and so I am a “great grand student” of Hamada, having been taught by a student of his who became a teacher who taught a student who became a teacher who taught me.
Eventually it all pushed me into the pottery fair world. After all, you have to make 10,000 pots before you can make a good one (my teacher told me) so what are you going to do with all of that work? My poor mother could only keep so much of it. So I did art fairs and sold inexpensive, functional Japanese style pottery. A person came to the booth one day and asked what art school I’d trained at, what gallery represented me and what juried shows I’d been in. I asked her, “Do you like the pots or not?” These days, credentialing gets in the way of developing taste. You’re supposed to like something because it was made by a particular person, not because it calls to you. So sad. That’s why when I take my young nieces and nephews to an art museum, I ask them to stand in the middle of the room and then say, “If you could take one piece home, which would it be?” Then, “why?” That way I can encourage their taste.
As to the greediness and hoarding of experience, yes I know what you mean having worked in a world of precious “intellectual property” (what a word!!!) for a long time. Sadly, hoarders don’t realize we all live in a river of contribution, learning from others, sharing with others. How much satisfaction and joy they are missing!
As to a word…I don’t know. I don’t like labels because they all focus on “me” too much. I learned this from pottery. I shape and glaze a pot. But then the fire takes it and makes its own contribution beyond my control. But the pot isn’t finished until someone takes it home and makes it his own. That’s why people cry when they break a much-used piece of handmade pottery but not a cup from Target. So what do you call me and my part in the process? Essential and insignificant all at the same time.
I experienced the label problem when I painted the illustrations for my friend, Katy, to put a story she wrote for the little girl she is tutoring last year (I’m sure you remember). Friends said, “Wow! You’re a book illustrator! You can have a new career!” I know it was kindly meant and a compliment, but it’s a temptation I don’t want to get anywhere near. I’m Katy’s friend and I made her happy. I care more about her than any painting I could ever do.
For me, you said it best in your Huntington lecture, all work well done is praise. I am simply a servant of the one who is worthy of praise whether I’m cooking dinner, vacuuming the floor or painting a birthday card. Bless you for your loving and generous heart and all you do to share it!
None of this surprises me :) I love your approach to sharing art with your nieces and nephews. How wonderful is that! I think your friends complimenting your efforts to create a little book for your friend Katy are just well-meaning and encouraging. I think that is wonderful. We are only human and if people were not encouraging in that we might never continue and do the work we need to do to really stretch our wings and fly. And I do believe that all good efforts in our work is praise. For me, praise of the natural world and life itself. Thank you for your thoughtful and dear comments here, Lisa. SO grateful.
Thank you for this and I hope that you know that all of your own art, your lessons, your writing, and your generous comments on every post make us all feel understood, cared about and less alone. The Irish say, “A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.” You’ve created a community where every “stranger” who enters quickly feels he or she is among friends, although we may never meet.
Oh gosh. Thank you so very much for this post. I’m a potter as well as a (wannabe) painter and I, too, have Soetsu’s The Unknown Craftsman. And I, too, leave random acts of kindness around my town and in the woods that I live in. I have left small flower vases behind canned goods in my grocery store with an unsigned note to whomever might come across it. I have made ceramic tree ornaments that I leave behind spice packs or hung on random door knobs as well as trees along one of my favorite path through the woods. Nothing is ever signed (I use a tiny owl stamp or heart stamp on my pottery that is known only to me). It feels more wonderful that way.
I have (and still do, at times of imbalance) struggle with what it means to be an artist/Artist and where my place is within a vast definition/identity. I have belittled my work for having no purpose since it’s not sellable in my mind. And I have belittled my work for not looking as perfect as “true Artists”. When did the monetary exchange and one’s perceived “perfection” dictate the importance or meaningfulness of Art? When I came across The Unknown Craftsman it was as if a haze lifted from my heart. I finally understood my place. I make pieces to give to others. I’m fortunate that my Day Job allows for this luxury, for it is a luxury.
Emily Dickinson sums up my purpose nicely:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
This is what my art means to me. This is what my existence means to me. To help ease one life the aching. If what I make and give to another can do that, I am satisfied. I am more than satisfied. I am whole.
Ah Jennie, we are kindred spirits! I love everything you have shared here. A tiny owl stamp!! Oh my. 🥰 I have a tiny crescent moon, a very tiny teapot, a tiny dandelion seed, and the symbol for hope in Japanese. You say it is luxury, and I totally get that, but I believe it is a human necessity. It's our culture that makes it a luxury. But we can change that! xoxo Thank you so much for being here.
A Creative? I think we all are creatives even with out paper and paint we are creative in our daily lives ( they all look so different than another person's where we live, how we decorate, how we spend our days?) and the things we do with our time like art, cooking, gardening or how we dress. Each person has their creative outlet whether they see it or not, just living is a creative act.
Art is very subjective. My own taste and interest in my own art as well as other's art changes, as I change and grow. I cannot imagine others are much different but maybe?
So, how can one remain impartial with social/cultural/political/gender/geographical influences and pressures as well as individual taste be qualified to judge the work in front of them? Is it the colorful one or the dark moody one? Is it the abstract or the detailed photo replica? Which is it that gets the kudos at that day and time? How do you choose one expression over another?
I love artists who share knowledge or anyone in any field for that matter, what ones own hands and mind can do with the materials is always different. And if we are not here to better the world and share knowledge then what are we even here doing and what of the world to come?( also why there are so many lost arts) If I share my knowledge I hope my "student" takes what I gave and does one better than me, takes their spin on it and elevates it in a way only they can. I have never believed in competition we each bring something unique to the table and to the materials.
Ari, thank you for this thoughtful comment. I like creative too! I would love a more specific name for when I create visual art, but honestly, then I start thinking, why do I always need to name things! Just be. Just do.
"So, how can one remain impartial with social/cultural/political/gender/geographical influences and pressures as well as individual taste be qualified to judge the work in front of them? " Oh boy, Bingo! Yes. Exactly! And also the feelings of wanting your student to take the things you pass along, and fly with them, taking them above and beyond to new places, in their own way. YES! Your thoughts here really energised. me. Thank you so much, and thank you so much for being here!
I always enjoy how you delve into a subject, giving me the impetus to ponder about my own perspective. We rarely completely align with someone else's ideas about everything but we get to sift through, keeping what works for us to refer to and letting the rest go.
I agree with the stepping away from competitions because the interpretation of any art piece IS so subjective to the observer. Then the artist can get too caught up in what others say rather than listening to their own heart. I can look at a work and think "oh my, what were they thinking to put this out in public" while someone else will see something that touches them. When making my own art in whatever media I'm using, I know if it "clicked" or if I lost my way...sometimes another set of eyes can see something off that clarifies my own vision but don't rely on them to decide on its completeness for myself.
I rarely sell anything as I find pricing things that I invested so much creative spirit in uncomfortable as its measuring time, skill and supplies (so practical) like that's all there is. I can give things away (gifts or donations) without a qualm allowing the recipient to love it or not, passing it on til it finds its best home.
I understand why you think "artist" doesn't quite capture the depth of the creator of a soul-filled piece, it's not emotive enough but it's a word that most people can understand, kind-of. But context is important...has the work one is putting out done quickly, efficiently without a lot of sensitivity (that is fine, just different purpose) or is it done with heart and soul in attendance? There's probably some foreign language word that captures the essence better ;)
Cindy, I resonate with so much that you have written here. Thank you for your thoughtful words. "Then the artist can get too caught up in what others say rather than listening to their own heart." Oh my gosh, that is a big part of it! Well, at least it has happened for me. I also completely get this: "I rarely sell anything as I find pricing things that I invested so much creative spirit in uncomfortable as its measuring time, skill and supplies (so practical) like that's all there is. I can give things away (gifts or donations) without a qualm allowing the recipient to love it or not, passing it on til it finds its best home." I have also truly regretted selling a few things that meant so much to me. and for what ended up being far less than minimum wage, just because I desperately needed money. That is not a good feeling. So I eventually understood that I didn't want to earn my income selling my work. It is a very difficult way to survive, for many many reasons. And.... I bet you the Japanese have a word for this. I will research ❤️ Thank you for being here!
I really appreciate craftsmanship. I admire a person who is a craftsman and explores anything in the spirit of craft. Skills, love for doing/making… I was in a theatre group for more than a decade, and our director was also an actor. He viewed his work as that of a craftsman. That really made rehearsing and working deep on characters very interesting, and far from shouting egos. Same goes for « fine arts ». Literature. Anything. Making a bouquet. You have this approach very deeply anchored in you. You share. That is the beauty of it. And we love you for that too
That must be such satisfying work, to take a character and to go deep. I imagine it is similar to writing a fictional character, but maybe it's very different! Do you still do any acting? I love to think of you immersing yourself in that. And thank you for your thoughtful words, always. xo Why is Paris so far?
I don’t act anymore, the group was dissolved and it’s hard to find people on the same page. And yes, why are we so far apart in space when I feel such a kinship of souls? Aaaaghhhh xo
The way you described making of art ubiquitous and accessible felt like the idea of weaving the sacred into the daily to me. Sharing art whether it’s a fine gallery piece or the every day pottery bowl feels like acknowledging beauty and abundance around us. Like a reminder to know that it’s there and to share it.
This is a powerful essay. Thank you. I know you so I know how you feel on the subject.
When I think about what is the most appropriate name even a Creative sounds less than humble. I refer to myself as a creative person or a person who expresses myself artistically through my hands. I never, however, hesitate to refer to another as an artist or creative.
I don't mind creative, but then I believe we all can have that name, whether making something or not. What about markmaker? Thoughts? Maybe it's enough :) And boy I get the ease of calling someone else an artist, while hesitating for oneself! Thank you, Janet. I am so glad you are here.
This is extremely refreshing to read. I regularly grapple with what our end-stage capitalist culture has done to art, to creativity. Over the years, I’ve watched the Internet heavily influence attitudes and behaviours towards creativity and it hasn’t always been very pleasant to watch. I don’t have answers, just more questions and often wish I didn’t think so deeply about this stuff!
I will say that I very much agree with the goal of making art accessible to everyone...whether that be in the creating or the appreciation/acquisition...I don’t have a lot of time for elevated opinions or price tags 😆, especially, as you say, those opinions and price tags are extremely subjective.
Melanie, boy do I grapple, too. But, I think (at least today), that we must talk about this stuff, and deeply. We can ward it off by the ways we show up. Like you, no answers, but I"m going to keep asking the questions. Thank you so so much for your comment and for keeping the conversation going!
Lately, I haven't had any sublime moments as an artist, but I did have a few when I drew those elephants, that cottage in Maine, and the raccoon washing his hands. It's another beginning and I feel like I'm starting over. I've had a few sublime moments when I have read some of my writing at class this semester and that feels good. I'm trying...
I am so fortunate, to have turned my head toward all of this. Kateri, thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts, experience and knowledge. It is truly a gift. All these comments, and conversation, add layers of depth and much to contemplate.
Years ago, I read a book, Eight Days in the Art World, or something like that, and was so turned off about Art. I knew, in my heart, something was amiss. I will explore these ideas, writings from Japan. So much to learn! I am on a slow path up stream, but still paddling my canoe.🕊️
There is so much to learn... as I said, a lifetime supply. I am so fortunate to have you here, reading, sharing your thoughts. Thank you. SO much. I am paddling, too!
There is so much to say here! Thank you for taking the time to think through this and write to us.
First off, a visit to the Mingei-kan in Japan 25 years ago changed my life. Across the room I saw a piece of pottery that called out to me as if it knew my name. I learned it was by someone I’d never heard of—Hamada Shoji, and in learning about him, I came to read Yanagi and was carried away by the same ideas you were. It also inspired me to take up pottery myself and so I am a “great grand student” of Hamada, having been taught by a student of his who became a teacher who taught a student who became a teacher who taught me.
Eventually it all pushed me into the pottery fair world. After all, you have to make 10,000 pots before you can make a good one (my teacher told me) so what are you going to do with all of that work? My poor mother could only keep so much of it. So I did art fairs and sold inexpensive, functional Japanese style pottery. A person came to the booth one day and asked what art school I’d trained at, what gallery represented me and what juried shows I’d been in. I asked her, “Do you like the pots or not?” These days, credentialing gets in the way of developing taste. You’re supposed to like something because it was made by a particular person, not because it calls to you. So sad. That’s why when I take my young nieces and nephews to an art museum, I ask them to stand in the middle of the room and then say, “If you could take one piece home, which would it be?” Then, “why?” That way I can encourage their taste.
As to the greediness and hoarding of experience, yes I know what you mean having worked in a world of precious “intellectual property” (what a word!!!) for a long time. Sadly, hoarders don’t realize we all live in a river of contribution, learning from others, sharing with others. How much satisfaction and joy they are missing!
As to a word…I don’t know. I don’t like labels because they all focus on “me” too much. I learned this from pottery. I shape and glaze a pot. But then the fire takes it and makes its own contribution beyond my control. But the pot isn’t finished until someone takes it home and makes it his own. That’s why people cry when they break a much-used piece of handmade pottery but not a cup from Target. So what do you call me and my part in the process? Essential and insignificant all at the same time.
I experienced the label problem when I painted the illustrations for my friend, Katy, to put a story she wrote for the little girl she is tutoring last year (I’m sure you remember). Friends said, “Wow! You’re a book illustrator! You can have a new career!” I know it was kindly meant and a compliment, but it’s a temptation I don’t want to get anywhere near. I’m Katy’s friend and I made her happy. I care more about her than any painting I could ever do.
For me, you said it best in your Huntington lecture, all work well done is praise. I am simply a servant of the one who is worthy of praise whether I’m cooking dinner, vacuuming the floor or painting a birthday card. Bless you for your loving and generous heart and all you do to share it!
None of this surprises me :) I love your approach to sharing art with your nieces and nephews. How wonderful is that! I think your friends complimenting your efforts to create a little book for your friend Katy are just well-meaning and encouraging. I think that is wonderful. We are only human and if people were not encouraging in that we might never continue and do the work we need to do to really stretch our wings and fly. And I do believe that all good efforts in our work is praise. For me, praise of the natural world and life itself. Thank you for your thoughtful and dear comments here, Lisa. SO grateful.
Thank you for this and I hope that you know that all of your own art, your lessons, your writing, and your generous comments on every post make us all feel understood, cared about and less alone. The Irish say, “A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.” You’ve created a community where every “stranger” who enters quickly feels he or she is among friends, although we may never meet.
That is such a gift, for me. Thank you for being such a beautiful part of it!
Oh gosh. Thank you so very much for this post. I’m a potter as well as a (wannabe) painter and I, too, have Soetsu’s The Unknown Craftsman. And I, too, leave random acts of kindness around my town and in the woods that I live in. I have left small flower vases behind canned goods in my grocery store with an unsigned note to whomever might come across it. I have made ceramic tree ornaments that I leave behind spice packs or hung on random door knobs as well as trees along one of my favorite path through the woods. Nothing is ever signed (I use a tiny owl stamp or heart stamp on my pottery that is known only to me). It feels more wonderful that way.
I have (and still do, at times of imbalance) struggle with what it means to be an artist/Artist and where my place is within a vast definition/identity. I have belittled my work for having no purpose since it’s not sellable in my mind. And I have belittled my work for not looking as perfect as “true Artists”. When did the monetary exchange and one’s perceived “perfection” dictate the importance or meaningfulness of Art? When I came across The Unknown Craftsman it was as if a haze lifted from my heart. I finally understood my place. I make pieces to give to others. I’m fortunate that my Day Job allows for this luxury, for it is a luxury.
Emily Dickinson sums up my purpose nicely:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
This is what my art means to me. This is what my existence means to me. To help ease one life the aching. If what I make and give to another can do that, I am satisfied. I am more than satisfied. I am whole.
Ah Jennie, we are kindred spirits! I love everything you have shared here. A tiny owl stamp!! Oh my. 🥰 I have a tiny crescent moon, a very tiny teapot, a tiny dandelion seed, and the symbol for hope in Japanese. You say it is luxury, and I totally get that, but I believe it is a human necessity. It's our culture that makes it a luxury. But we can change that! xoxo Thank you so much for being here.
A Creative? I think we all are creatives even with out paper and paint we are creative in our daily lives ( they all look so different than another person's where we live, how we decorate, how we spend our days?) and the things we do with our time like art, cooking, gardening or how we dress. Each person has their creative outlet whether they see it or not, just living is a creative act.
Art is very subjective. My own taste and interest in my own art as well as other's art changes, as I change and grow. I cannot imagine others are much different but maybe?
So, how can one remain impartial with social/cultural/political/gender/geographical influences and pressures as well as individual taste be qualified to judge the work in front of them? Is it the colorful one or the dark moody one? Is it the abstract or the detailed photo replica? Which is it that gets the kudos at that day and time? How do you choose one expression over another?
I love artists who share knowledge or anyone in any field for that matter, what ones own hands and mind can do with the materials is always different. And if we are not here to better the world and share knowledge then what are we even here doing and what of the world to come?( also why there are so many lost arts) If I share my knowledge I hope my "student" takes what I gave and does one better than me, takes their spin on it and elevates it in a way only they can. I have never believed in competition we each bring something unique to the table and to the materials.
Ari, thank you for this thoughtful comment. I like creative too! I would love a more specific name for when I create visual art, but honestly, then I start thinking, why do I always need to name things! Just be. Just do.
"So, how can one remain impartial with social/cultural/political/gender/geographical influences and pressures as well as individual taste be qualified to judge the work in front of them? " Oh boy, Bingo! Yes. Exactly! And also the feelings of wanting your student to take the things you pass along, and fly with them, taking them above and beyond to new places, in their own way. YES! Your thoughts here really energised. me. Thank you so much, and thank you so much for being here!
I always enjoy how you delve into a subject, giving me the impetus to ponder about my own perspective. We rarely completely align with someone else's ideas about everything but we get to sift through, keeping what works for us to refer to and letting the rest go.
I agree with the stepping away from competitions because the interpretation of any art piece IS so subjective to the observer. Then the artist can get too caught up in what others say rather than listening to their own heart. I can look at a work and think "oh my, what were they thinking to put this out in public" while someone else will see something that touches them. When making my own art in whatever media I'm using, I know if it "clicked" or if I lost my way...sometimes another set of eyes can see something off that clarifies my own vision but don't rely on them to decide on its completeness for myself.
I rarely sell anything as I find pricing things that I invested so much creative spirit in uncomfortable as its measuring time, skill and supplies (so practical) like that's all there is. I can give things away (gifts or donations) without a qualm allowing the recipient to love it or not, passing it on til it finds its best home.
I understand why you think "artist" doesn't quite capture the depth of the creator of a soul-filled piece, it's not emotive enough but it's a word that most people can understand, kind-of. But context is important...has the work one is putting out done quickly, efficiently without a lot of sensitivity (that is fine, just different purpose) or is it done with heart and soul in attendance? There's probably some foreign language word that captures the essence better ;)
Cindy, I resonate with so much that you have written here. Thank you for your thoughtful words. "Then the artist can get too caught up in what others say rather than listening to their own heart." Oh my gosh, that is a big part of it! Well, at least it has happened for me. I also completely get this: "I rarely sell anything as I find pricing things that I invested so much creative spirit in uncomfortable as its measuring time, skill and supplies (so practical) like that's all there is. I can give things away (gifts or donations) without a qualm allowing the recipient to love it or not, passing it on til it finds its best home." I have also truly regretted selling a few things that meant so much to me. and for what ended up being far less than minimum wage, just because I desperately needed money. That is not a good feeling. So I eventually understood that I didn't want to earn my income selling my work. It is a very difficult way to survive, for many many reasons. And.... I bet you the Japanese have a word for this. I will research ❤️ Thank you for being here!
I really appreciate craftsmanship. I admire a person who is a craftsman and explores anything in the spirit of craft. Skills, love for doing/making… I was in a theatre group for more than a decade, and our director was also an actor. He viewed his work as that of a craftsman. That really made rehearsing and working deep on characters very interesting, and far from shouting egos. Same goes for « fine arts ». Literature. Anything. Making a bouquet. You have this approach very deeply anchored in you. You share. That is the beauty of it. And we love you for that too
That must be such satisfying work, to take a character and to go deep. I imagine it is similar to writing a fictional character, but maybe it's very different! Do you still do any acting? I love to think of you immersing yourself in that. And thank you for your thoughtful words, always. xo Why is Paris so far?
I don’t act anymore, the group was dissolved and it’s hard to find people on the same page. And yes, why are we so far apart in space when I feel such a kinship of souls? Aaaaghhhh xo
🥰
The way you described making of art ubiquitous and accessible felt like the idea of weaving the sacred into the daily to me. Sharing art whether it’s a fine gallery piece or the every day pottery bowl feels like acknowledging beauty and abundance around us. Like a reminder to know that it’s there and to share it.
I love that, Nancy, weaving the sacred into the daily. I have that in my heart, a lot. I love your thoughts here. Thank you so very much.
This is a powerful essay. Thank you. I know you so I know how you feel on the subject.
When I think about what is the most appropriate name even a Creative sounds less than humble. I refer to myself as a creative person or a person who expresses myself artistically through my hands. I never, however, hesitate to refer to another as an artist or creative.
I don't mind creative, but then I believe we all can have that name, whether making something or not. What about markmaker? Thoughts? Maybe it's enough :) And boy I get the ease of calling someone else an artist, while hesitating for oneself! Thank you, Janet. I am so glad you are here.
My first thought was Markmaker seemed so specific but after some thought it can
encompass many forms of creativity as it can also mean making a mark on the society, the world, the earth...
This is extremely refreshing to read. I regularly grapple with what our end-stage capitalist culture has done to art, to creativity. Over the years, I’ve watched the Internet heavily influence attitudes and behaviours towards creativity and it hasn’t always been very pleasant to watch. I don’t have answers, just more questions and often wish I didn’t think so deeply about this stuff!
I will say that I very much agree with the goal of making art accessible to everyone...whether that be in the creating or the appreciation/acquisition...I don’t have a lot of time for elevated opinions or price tags 😆, especially, as you say, those opinions and price tags are extremely subjective.
Melanie, boy do I grapple, too. But, I think (at least today), that we must talk about this stuff, and deeply. We can ward it off by the ways we show up. Like you, no answers, but I"m going to keep asking the questions. Thank you so so much for your comment and for keeping the conversation going!
Lately, I haven't had any sublime moments as an artist, but I did have a few when I drew those elephants, that cottage in Maine, and the raccoon washing his hands. It's another beginning and I feel like I'm starting over. I've had a few sublime moments when I have read some of my writing at class this semester and that feels good. I'm trying...
We are always starting over, with each new, day, aren't we? Where we are is just right. As long as we keep trying! xoxo
I am so fortunate, to have turned my head toward all of this. Kateri, thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts, experience and knowledge. It is truly a gift. All these comments, and conversation, add layers of depth and much to contemplate.
Years ago, I read a book, Eight Days in the Art World, or something like that, and was so turned off about Art. I knew, in my heart, something was amiss. I will explore these ideas, writings from Japan. So much to learn! I am on a slow path up stream, but still paddling my canoe.🕊️
There is so much to learn... as I said, a lifetime supply. I am so fortunate to have you here, reading, sharing your thoughts. Thank you. SO much. I am paddling, too!