shticks in the wood kiln

I've been an official resident here at the Clay Studio for... Oh, I don't know.  A month and a half?

Anyways, the studio has a great wood kiln to burn.  If you've been following this blog..you might remember a few posts a couple years back about firing this kiln with Danny Crump.  The kiln is something like 620 cubic feet of stacking space.  It's quite a beast!  of the 5 long term residents here, at least one is the designated "wood-fire resident" - that's Perry, I just get to play too..but all the responsibility falls on his shoulders.  I help Perry out a lot and it was a pleasure loading this big kiln along side him.

That reminds me of another topic..just what is your "shtick"?  A guy at the loading asked me that.. he said, "Most of you art potters have that thing they do..you know?  I mean..what's your shtick??"  haha.. I prefer not to have a designated shtick and to enjoy the broad spectrum that working with Clay can offer..so when there's wood kilns to burn I'm gonna get involved.  there's a big difference between a shtick and a style.   A shtick is a gimmick, something that people can recognize over and over again -it's quickly digested.  Style is something that grows naturally over a period of time..and when it's been toned and refined, when it matures... there is a realness to it that a shtick can never possibly have.

there was a really awesome dog at the loading...  we played. fetch the shtick, boy!  go get it!  now bring it back.. bring back the shtick!....and do it again and again and again.  wow.  that makes complete sense.  stupid shticks.  i'd rather burn them in the wood kiln!!!