Ganesha making

The time in Pondicherry before the 'road trip' was spent at Golden Bridge Pottery making a Ganesh.

I had made 'them' before, a lot. It had obsessed me.  Then I stopped making them, for a variety of reasons, none of which were very clear to me at the time. I went to the wheel and tableware and stencils.....all good.

But when I went to Japan and met Ray & Deb (who run Golden Bridge) I was advised by Ray (Meeker) and Jeff Shapiro (who is an extraordinary ceramicist as well and ran the Japan trip) to go back to Ganesh and continue the relationship and explore that avenue. 

Initially, I tried throwing different parts of Ganesh on the wheel. It was a manual kick wheel, that we saw heaps of in Japan. Compared to my Lockerbie a motorised kick wheel at home, it was like attempting to play tennis with a baseball. The voice that spoke to me, that dialogued with me would have nothing to do with the idea either. "Madame, you have to make me with your hands, not with parts from a wheel. You must touch the details of who I am." This is a deity that is much beloved in India and actually all over the world. He's the remover of obstacles, the deity invoked when beginning a new endeavour. He is a taskmaster. At least to me.

 

He or the part of 'he' that is 'me' or however you want to explain this consciousness spoke to me and we had a dialogue in his creation. The push/pull of how he should sit, the size of his trunk, the gaze of his eyes or his 'waking up'. Which I found out is a big deal when they make the giant ones for ceremonies. The photo below left is the first attempt, a bit too 'Disney' and it got altered.

This time I made Ganesh's vehicle 'Mooshika' a rat or mouse that he sits on or rides. This time I made an Indian style bench. Mooshika is considered 'the little hoarder' who is hyper and is completely run by his senses. Sound familiar? Ganesh 'riding' this creature is the idea of a deity in control over the senses. I see it as the greater consciousness over the material conscious mind. That's my take as the western white girl who makes these things. Who doesn't know why she does it. At all.

So here's my Ganesh after a wood bisque firing sitting on his rat mobile (vehicle) with a bit of clay supports. I'll post the pix of him being glazed (actually with slip) in the next entry.

Golden Bridge Pottery – Pondicherry, India

Greetings from South India!
Along way from home, but now happily ensconced in a home away from home.

I have been working here on a Ganesh sculpture. It is heaven! I think Ganesh put the obstacle of my computer breakdown in my path so I would go analogue and pay attention to his creation. Though Ganesh is suppose to be the remover of obstacles. His obstacles not mine?

Golden Bridge Pottery was founded by my wonderful hosts Ray Meeker & Deborah Smith in 1971. They have trained and taught many Indian nationals the skill, craft and art of production pottery and artistry of ceramics. If this were Japan, they would be considered national treasures. 

For about 40 years Ray taught a 7 month course to mostly young woman the skill and practice of working with clay. They were probably (but not necessarily) artistically minded, it was something to do while waiting to get married or go to graduate school, etc. He has created a generation of formidable artists. I mean kick ass! The few that I've met, they're passion for the medium and dedication is impressive. Also they're appreciation for Deb & Ray. 

They are taught (6 days a week, all day) from the making of clay to wheel throwing to glaze making and wood firing. The 7 months is a distillation of a 4 year BFA. Distilled to the coursework for a ceramic major. IMHO anyway.

More to come but wanted to set the scene. I am doing this with my thumbs in an iPhone, so time to rest the digits.