The last few days have been ones of musings and reflections about our explorations during the last few months while we do the inevitable cleaning, sorting and packing up of our studios and rooms.
We unloaded the large gas kiln on the weekend and were greeted with a few surprises…. lots was packed in, and gas kilns have a life of their own once they are bricked up. Jakab’s brick support for my tall form worked in part but a real sculptural element was added when one of Debra’s backdrop walls toppled on it during firing and caused what Jakab laughingly calls the domino effect – I think he and Klari have seen pretty much everything in terms of clays and firing in their many years here with visiting artists and students.
Debra and I unloaded and examined our work in detail and discussed the processes until there was no longer much to say… this seems to be our way. We never run out of things to talk about when it comes to clay.
It is a busy week here – Imre Shrammel and Roswitha Geyer have returned to complete the work begun last March and are doing a salt firing – it is fascinating to watch them work together with such energy, concentration and curiosity. The students have had their critiques and most have left and a new crew of students and teachers from Kansas have arrived. In addition to this the institute has been notified that some work on one of the most historic parts of the building will begin in 9 days and massive amounts of work have to be moved to some place safe in this phenomenally busy place so this process can begin.
Debra and I had our “trunk show” which was largely driven by her idea that we needed to display our progress and processses. It was curated by her as she fussed, organized and re-arrangned the pieces over a few days – all to a good result I believe. It shed new light on our work and when we had an “opening” for ICS staff, artists and students, we were so pleased at the amount of attention and critical comment they gave our work. The thoughtfullness and carefullness made both of us feel so positive about the progress we have made and the directions we can work in the next while.
So, while I have sadness at leaving, I am so grateful for the space that this environment has provided me to explore what I want to do, where I want to go, and the attention that has been given to me by the staff in supporting me in this endeavor. The physical environment of ICS promotes this nurturing, but it is the people who work here who support us as artists to enable our work to evolve to something greater than it was before and all I can do is offer thanks. So, thank you Janos, Jona, Klari, Jakab, Ildiko, Steve, Emese, Bepo and Emma.
