Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Student to artist to teacher to student again.

Contributed by Susan Gallacher-Turner

Learning is a life long process that circles from learning to doing to teaching and for me, back to learning again. In my last blog I wrote about taking a writing workshop. I'm also taking clay classes. And even though I've taken clay classes, produced clay sculptural work, written professionally and taught classes, I love being a student again.

First lesson learned: I throw clay left handed. I write right handed. Yep. That's why all those years ago in ceramics class, I could never throw a pot, bowl, cup or anything straight. In fact, I was so bad, even the teacher suggested I should stay away from the wheel. Ok, to be fair, my clay had the habit of spinning off my wheel at a high speeds and hitting the wall. But, really, I was trying to do it the right way. Now, I know what was wrong, thanks to Jan, my new teacher who watched me and asked me, "Are you left handed?" "Sometimes," I replied. So, she stopped the wheel, flipped the toggle switch up instead of down and finally it felt right.

Second lesson learned: Potter's wheels turn counter clockwise for right handed people and clockwise for left handed people. Amazing. I never knew there was a choice. And to be fair, I wasn't given a choice. I was to be right handed, period. I've found as an adult, that I do somethings well right handed and somethings well left handed and sometimes I can just use whatever hand is handy.

Third lesson learned: I can throw a bowl. And it isn't horrible, a little wonky maybe, and I needed instruction on some of the steps. But I was able to get it centered and pulled up and pushed out all on my own. Left handed, of course.

Biggest lesson learned: Knowledge is not only powerful but empowering. It's never too late to learn and turn a failure into a success.

Now, I can't wait to learn more about glazes, slips, raku and oxides...oooh what fun!

You can see more of my sculptural work at Susan Gallacher-Turner Sculptures and read more about my creative journey on my other blog Sculpting A Life. Read more!

Television Musings - Rants and Raves of a Romance Writer


Who will win the Mirror Ball trophy?

By Kathy Carpenter

Tonight was the finals on this seasons Dancing with the Stars. Who will win it all? Will it be Jennifer Grey and Derrick? Jennifer is the daughter of dancing legend Joel Grey and of course the dancing star from Dirty Dancing, the odds on favorite from the beginning.

. But she has had her trouble throughout the season. I personally think her turnaround came a couple weeks ago when she was in so much pain. I wanted to see her voted off because I thought it was too much for her physically. However, she was not voted out and her dancing took on a whole new demision.

The we have Britol Palen. I thought along with most people she should have gone out long ago. Then she turned it around. With the last two weeks really impressing me. So much so I actually wanted her to stay over Brandy. Tonight the judges were a little down on her. True she isn't the best technically that goes to Jennifer but i think she's America's sweetheart.

And then we have Kyle. He has been entertaining from the beginning. I have enjoyed some of his numbers the most. I say he is the Donny Osmond of the group. Of course Donny has a lot of fans, and I don't know if Kyle has that behind him. But his winning would not surprise me.

Usually I base who I personally want to win on the freestyle. And personally I think I liked Kyle's freestyle the best. But this has been the closest season yet and any of these celebrities could win.

Who did you vote for?
Read more!