I
consider myself fortunate to have been able to study, work and fire with Kirk Mangus
back in the early 90s. Watching him throw and then decorate his larger pots was
quite a spectacle; a blend of speed, strength, determination, spontaneity and
purpose. I was at Kent State when Kirk created the illustrated covered jar
which is a fond memory as much a grand learning experience as it was pottery
theater. He started by wedging two large amounts of clay and then centering the
first amount of clay and then slamming the second one on top and centering it
and the entire mass. Once centered he began the process of opening the clay up
and making it rise from the bat, nearly 20" tall with walls purposefully left thick to accommodate
his style of deep relief carving. After a
few days the clay had set up enough and he first addressed the lid to make sure
it made a good fit and then with a knife, simply cut away the excess in sharp,
crisp facets to reduce the weight, then the carving of the pot began. Taking a
moment he walked around the pot surveying the surface, form and obvious steps
to the piece and wielding just a couple of tools he set in the raised boundaries
that separated the panels before just going at the pot like a focused dervish
in a well practiced attack. His cuts were fast and exceedingly direct and I did
not see him hesitate even briefly and then the pot was done. Even though I know
his menagerie of designs and elements was well practiced it was still quite the
experience that I have yet to forget even a moment of.
"Every man's memory is his private literature." Aldous Huxley
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