Rippeling Pond

Posted by Rabbit (Richmond, United States) on 5 January 2009 in Art & Design.

This is the top of one of my pinhole cameras titled: Impressions. It looks like a pond ripple with the help of my choice of glazes.

Out of nervousness I have bitten all my fingernails off. I have jotted down many ideas for my new VCU class and yet feel like none of them are good enough. I am feeling confused. Before meeting with the professors, I felt focused and now unfocused. Like a pinhole that has been carelessly poked and not sanded.

I feel slightly confused I suppose from what one of the professors said... asking me if I was completely TIED to the idea of making pinhole cameras? - I ponder this now, thinking "WHAT? WHAT are YOU looking for?" I had direction and it seems to all be slipping away. I think my confidence has been bruised with this question. WHY is that? What makes -THEIR- ideas so great and mine questionable? UGH, why is the art world such a prissy place. I feel like maybe I should make something RUDE!

hummm, oddly enough that just gave me an idea. If I am brave enough to pull it off I will let you know, what this rude idea is - I shall sketch it down before it drifts off.

The sun comes up,
rabbit

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Comments (5)

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

I wonder why he would say that? I don't know if it is good to have lots of variety in the medium of pottery and ceramics or not. I just don't know. I love your pinhole cameras. This one looks beautiful.

I know that for my work in photography, my clients like to know that I am versatile. Most inquiries start with something like "Have you ever done..." or "Would you be interested in..." which makes me think I need to expand my portfolio to include a more diverse body of work to show potential clients. Perhaps the professor was saying that in a round about way?

5 Jan 2009 2:25pm

@Laurie: I was wondering that too. I was was VERY nervous at the time & probably looked a bit puzzled by this question. I know I remember saying that I was indeed open to new ideas and direction with my work.

I can tell you the reason people ask for such things when they inquire about your services - I don't think it has anything to do with your work and weather you need to expand. (OBVIOUSLY they already are interested in the WAY you take photos) No I think its the kind of service that is similar to Graphic Design. People come to you with an IDEA in their head - and they want you to translate it to the final photo outcome. With photography I think people who are paying to have their photograph taken feel the need to GIVE DIRECTION or some insight to their personality.

I find this difficult sometimes when doing my Graphic Design as you probably do with your photography. Sometimes our customers give good ideas and most times they don't. In the end I chalk it all up to - whatever the customer wants.

however, I don't feel that way about my ceramic pinhole cameras. If someone wants one, I ask what kind of shape they are interested in and go from there. Colors or texture come as I am making the piece. I more or less let each creation become what it is going to become with just a slight direction in mind.

Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States

Students' ideas are never good enough, because it's an educator's job to push you and nudge you to think/do the unthinkable. Bulldoze your idea to the ground, reconstruct with something else based on your original idea. Because you paid a tuition for their service, sort of speak. I recall when I was in grad school, in one of the design classes, I would come out of the lab after an hour feeling enervated, like the Riddler just sucked the IQ out of me. That's what the faculty wants to see- us youth getting tortured. You just have to up them one level, saying something like "I am going to turn everything inside a house into a pinhole camera, I am turning my house into a pinhole camera, so I can live in a pinhole life"... etc etc. At least this strategy worked for my profess, haha.

6 Jan 2009 12:34am

@Howard F.: i'm laughing at that last bit there. Thanks, it makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one.

jim from sebastopol, United States

i might be completely off base, but maybe the professor was wanting to hear from you that you were completely serious about the subject.
tell him/her that you do intend to forge ahead... not idly, but FULL SPEED AHEAD!
i must say that i believe you are already an accomplished photographer and a very good clay artist as well. i wish you well, my friend. jim

6 Jan 2009 4:11am

@jim: I know I do feel like that, but I also don't want to come off as stubborn or a pushover. Thats why I didn't just say - I was willing to just do whatever they want or Heck no I'm not making ANYTHING else except CERAMIC PINHOLE CAMERAS! ha ha - I should have said the last bit & seen their eyebrows go up.

Michelle from Virginia, United States

Pinhole Cameras are perhaps your niche. While you are fascinated by them you have both crafted and beautifully photographed many other works. You should be very confident. Look back at all you have accomplished and go forward.

7 Jan 2009 4:16pm

dang from Atlanta, United States

Professor = A person with great knowledge, but not enough artistic skill to make a living doing.. so they teach instead. :-)

12 Jan 2009 7:35pm

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