Sunday, September 02, 2012

Story Telling Sunday - back to school

It's that time again, It's the first Sunday in the Month, It's also September the start of the school year. So Sian suggested we tell a school related story.
Well I've delved into the dark recesses of my memory and found something from way back in ancient history..... Well my ancient history anyway.

I went to a school that had rather large classes, so for art we were divided up into two groups. My surname name was near the beginning of the alphabet so I was in the class that did painting. The other half of the class did pottery and similar things (well that's how I remember it) I enjoyed it at first but wasn't very good at it and my pictures were never chosen to go on the wall. Oh how I longed to play with the clay. Why wasn't I allowed to do so, I don't know.
One day we had a change around, boy was I excited about that, I could play with that lovely squishy stuff. I first of all made a little pot, it wasn't brilliant but it was a start.
My piece de resistance was a head, A stunning one if I do say so myself, I loved it I carefully shaped it and put all my enthusiasm into it.
The following week when the clay had dried out we painted our pieces. I painted mine green, not sure why now but that is the colour I chose, possibly because it was my favourite colour then, but anyway that is how it was going to be. I also painted the little pot but that wasn't so much fun.
Teacher said that the clay pieces had to be fired to complete the process and by next week we would see how they had turned out. I was really looking forward to getting my head back.
The following week the teacher gave each child his or her piece I got my little pot, but where was my head? No my head never appeared I never got it. I assumed then that only one piece per child was fired. I was so disappointed.

You know I never have got to play with clay again, I wonder if that experience peppered my creativity in that area. Perhaps I ought to try again.

Mind you I have played with Fimo clay, not quite so squishy and far easier to manage as the firing only has to be done at a low temperature in an ordinary oven for 30 minutes.



18 comments:

Missus Wookie said...

oh what a shame they only gave one piece per child and didn't let you choose!

I too loved pottery as a child, although I swapped to woodwork and was miffed that as a girl we did sewing rather than metalwork.

Why not see if the local adult education places do a pottery class? I know the ones near here do.

Jane said...

what a shame, I bet you would have kept that head!

Irene said...

A fascinating school memory, Mary. It's a shame when choices are made for us like that and school resources determine the path you tread. But you still have your creativity that's wholly you, thank goodness. Irene

Sian said...

I wonder what happened to that green head? I can understand your disappointment - I would have been gutted!

I was always a D student in art - never had any pictures chosen for the wall either. I've got scrapbooking to thank for developing my creativity I think.

Great story Mary - thanks for your school tale today

Abi said...

oh what a mystery! I wish we could have seen that green head!

You should definitely have a play with clay again. For one thing it is very relaxing!

Amy said...

Art and I were never particularly friendly ... why don't you try again now - remake that green head?!

Alison said...

I can imagine your disappointment over that green head...pity they didn't ask which one you liked best!
I never had any artwork put on walls either!
Alison xx

scrappyjacky said...

I would have been so upset as well.

Susanne said...

Oh what a disappointment to finally get to try and then not get to see how it turned out. I do hope you play again, and show us too!

Anonymous said...

Schools can be so harmful to creativity, unfortunately. Would send you a big lump of squishy clay if I could.....:)

Unknown said...

Well done for enjoying pottery, I was always horrified by how bad I was at it.

Great story.

Kirsty.A said...

wHAT A SHAME. fUNNY HOW THOSE LITTLE DISAPPOINYTMENT BECOME SO BIG IN OUR MEMORIES

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

We rarely had art classes in school & they were always watercolors or crayons when we did. I love hearing about the experiences of people who did get to have it. Bummer about the head though. Pity they didn't give you a choice about which you wanted.

Cheri said...

I wonder if your piece just didn't make it through the firing process? Sometimes things fall apart in the kiln.... You really ought to give it another go!

Elizabeth said...

Did you ever find out what happened to your beautiful head? I bet you still have that little pot. My most treasured object is an ashtray my daughter made in first grade. Funny she should choose an ashtray because neither of us smoked!

Valerie said...

I'm so sorry about your green head! This spring, my grandson's kindergarten class made tie dye shirts for field day. He made his red, his favorite color and was very excited about it. When his teacher returned it to him after they had been laundered and the extra dye removed, he was heart-broken. His beautiful red shirt he now declared was pink and unfit for a boy to wear. Your story reminded me of the disappointment young artists can face.

Jimjams said...

I was hoping for a happy ending - such as the head being so well done that it was displayed in the school entrance hall!
Great story though - we really got inside your young head!

Jennifer Grace said...

How mean to not give you your head back! I think you should go and take a pottery class, if only to re-make a green head to give you some closure! x

A place for me to put the pictures of layouts I have done that I am pleased with, to put in the poems I write and to add snippets of things that have caught my eye