[Clayart] february blues

[Kanika Sircar]

I wish I had asked more questions.

I came to college here when I was 17 and never went home again.
My grandmother had gone to college here as well, University of Nebraska in 
the 1920s.

How did she get here?
Once she arrived, how did she travel from whichever port it was to Nebraska?

Interestingly, I recently found Yale documents on some part of her life 
here.

She did go home again, founded a school for girls, and advised me to eat an 
apple a day to combat winters in Massachusetts.

Kanika

-----Original Message----- 
From: vincepitelka at gmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 11:56 AM
To: 'Clayart international pottery discussion forum'
Subject: Re: [Clayart] february blues

Hi Mel -
I'm very sorry to hear about the kiln shed roofs.  Hopefully the repairs 
will not be too costly or complicated once the snow melts.  As you know, I 
am from California, and I have talked to quite a few friends and relatives 
on the West Coast who had trouble with flooding and water damage, or with 
heavy snow buildup.  You got what was left of the same storms, tempered by 
passing over large mountain ranges, but still very powerful - the 
"atmospheric river."

I certainly understand about the therapeutic effect of sitting at the 
computer writing.  I have done a lot of that myself.  I have often wished I 
had spent more time asking each of my parents about their childhood, their 
adolescence, what it was like for them in high school and college, how they 
met, what it was like when my siblings and I were very young, how they felt 
about the evolution of their careers.  While they are alive, it is easy to 
take them for granted, thinking that they will always be there.  And then 
they are gone.

So, what you are doing is proactive.  Getting all that information down, so 
that your grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc., will have that 
information.  I wish more people would do that.

All my life I've had a fascination for the Westward Movement, the California 
Gold Rush, and the growth of railroads, mining, and logging in the West.  I 
have read so many books that are based on exactly what you are doing. 
Someone took the time to collect all their letters, or wrote about their own 
experience, and someone later on recognized the importance of it and 
assembled it into a published book.  What seems like casual communication, 
or therapeutic autobiographical journaling, can become priceless history in 
a hundred years - "The Mel Jacobson Papers."
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Potter, Writer, Teacher
Chapel Hill, NC
vpitelka at dtccom.net
www.vincepitelka.com
https://chathamartistsguild.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart <clayart-bounces at lists.clayartworld.com> On Behalf Of mel 
jacobson
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:08 PM
To: clay art <clayart at lists.clayartworld.com>
Subject: [Clayart] february blues

It is that time again. it was -26F this morning. all of my ceramic, pottery 
equipment is frozen solid. we have had so much snow that three of our kiln 
covers have cracked rafters and are falling in. No  kilns hurt.  I did put 
some 3/4 inch pipe from concrete floor to rafters above my small stoneware.
It does help the blues crash in on me.  But, it is winter and things happen. 
I am snug in my house, and all is well. And we are a bit concerned about 
flooding this spring. My house is 12 feet above the flood plain. No worries 
for me.

I am full go in a new book.(about a hundred hours) the title is: "Letters to 
Colleen".
the books direction is all the stories and adventures I have had in my life 
and have chatted with Colleen about, she has done the same and her stories 
are included. About 70% of the book is clay related. The book is not going 
to be for sale. Most of my older pals on clayart know the stories already.

This book is electronic and will be put away for my GreatGreatGrandson to 
read when he is 35. His name is Melvin. A brand new "good" thumb drive, 
wrapped in water proof plastic and at the bottom of my fireproof safe.

A great cure for the blues is sitting at a computer and writing your own 
story for your future family. it is the story of your life. And many forget 
that it is important. If nothing else, write the story of your clay life, 
how it started, how you love it. It will give future people a glimpse as to 
your value as an artist/craftsperson. Memorize that all the text messages 
and emails will be flushing down the electronic hole.

It is like saving some of your best work for your future family, not born 
yet.
They deserve to know you had great value and you were not marching down to 
the cliff with the lemmings in 2023.

You are part of that valued gang of men and women potters that goes back 
thousands of years..Those that solved the problems. Earth,Fire and Water. 
The clay vessel.
Love to all, mel


website: www.melpots.com
www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML