In the interview we talk about the rites of passage that are embedded in the apprenticeship system, the athleticism involved in making big pots, and romanticizing the life of a country potter. For more information on East Fork Pottery please visit their website www.eastforkpottery.com.
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East Fork Pottery is nestled into one of the many beautiful "hollers" of Madison County. When I arrived to do the interview the late afternoon shadows were slowly moving across the surrounding hills. Looking up into the forest I felt like I had accidentally slipped into a movie landscape. In the interview we talk about how easy it is to romanticize the life of a country potter. The picturesque location of East Fork could motivate any urban potter to retreat to the hills of North Carolina.
Enormously engaging conversation to listen in on. These conversations always bring up something I wish has outlets for further conversation -- better start a journal haha - ( where's Carter when you need him ;-) I almost always take away something that resonates long after. Thanks Ben and the folks from East Fork.
ReplyDeleteHello Linda,
DeleteThanks for listening and for leaving a comment. I enjoyed this episode a lot myself. Listening back I picked up on a few topics I would like to discuss more with other artists. Its nice when an interview takes on a life of its own. Hope you are doing well up the coast.
Fascinating and honest podcast Ben, one of your best to date . #thumbsup
ReplyDeleteThanks Adriana!
DeleteGreat as usual. You mentioned during the podcast how great it would be to find a training system that combined the discipline of an apprenticeship with some freedom for individual expression but you didn't think anything like that existed yet. Sad to say, such a place has been and gone. Dartington Pottery (known also as Dart Pottery for a time), in Devon England had such a traineeship. The pottery was set up by Bernard's son David Leach (with Bernard in the wings) and was a small production pottery producing functional stoneware tablewares. The traineeship lasted for a year and back in its heyday, a trainee worked for 4 days a week learning to produce the standard lines of the pottery and on the 5th day, was free to produce their own work. I did the traineeship in 98/99 and by that time, it had changed slightly, in that the trainee worked 5 days a week producing the pottery lines, but we were free to use the materials and facilities to produce our own work outside working hours (i.e. evenings and weekends) and sell our work in the pottery shop onsite. The work was very much in the Leach tradition originally but in the 80's Janice Tchalenko transformed the standard range into a colourful array of bright glaze on glaze designs. Unfortunately, the pottery closed sometime between 2003/2007 (I'm not sure of the year). I thought you might be interested.
ReplyDeleteHello Denise,
DeleteThanks for listening and for writing in with that story about Dartington Pottery. That sounds very similar to the type of educational environment that I would like to explore. Would be willing to write a blog post about your time at Dartington? I would love to share with others your experience in that sort of environment.