The Importance of Craftsmanship and Creating with Love

Coil vases at the leather hard stage of drying, perfect for carving or adding colored slips and underglazes.

February, a month to focus on love. It contains Valentine's Day and my birthday. As I enter my sixties, I think a lot about making, about the objects and value they hold. Aware that once the clay is fired, it will be here for existence. I no longer have the passion solely to produce, but my enthusiasm and love for clay are strong.

I love clay as a medium to create and to teach. It's a time-consuming labor of love where building and decorating are done at stages of dryness. It's not meant for the lazy or the weak. It's a complicated relationship worth the effort.

My only modernist birdhouse house, I love this one because the corners are so square. Part is skill part is knowing what clay to use.

Craftsmanship is an artist's love and commitment to medium and process. The younger me was so eager to make, explore and conquer clay. It seemed the only way to grow was to produce multiples of everything. Now my attitude is different. I want time on my side to enjoy it. Recently I received a birdhouse order for a special someone. I'll use the opportunity to build my supply by making three to five houses. The customer can pick which of these he thinks his Valentine will like, and it'll be decorated in her colors and motifs. The others will be used to explore my thoughts and ideas. When I offer them to the public, they'll be made with craftmanship honed over a lifetime of devotion.