a must read
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010annie dillard, “the writing life” is a must read in my opinion. i’m reading it for the 3rd time and it never ceases to amaze me and fill my head with new inspiration.
even as a potter i find endless words of wisdom from dillard’s writing about her own struggle in being a writer. every artist alike deals with “writers block” and as i struggle through my own period of this i am comforted by her words.
the latest quote that is helping is this:
“Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.”
— annie dillard, the writing life)
i believe she is saying here to pass on what you have learned by teaching, discussing, this is funny but blogging too.
also i find more meaning. i think even learning more myself, to never end the discovery process is so important. i have a rule for myself to take a class or a workshop once a year. it can be in anything actually, just so i never stop learning. this is hard with kids, but i find it so important, especially when you have had a summer of making 350 mugs and don’t have time for much else.
i also think she is saying to share what you have inside through your work. get it out so that it won’t spoil and become a vacant land of forgotten and wasted ideas.
so, besides mug after mug after mug for a large order, i’ve been getting my ideas out and making these:
