Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism The park at the end of my street has printed rules on signs about dogs on leashes and no smoking. There are arrows painted on the asphalt trail to remind folks to stay on the right side while walking or biking, while the playground area sports a sign that states the appropriate ages of children…Read more »
Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism What makes silence so powerful? Why do we find it more comfortable to stay quiet? Most importantly, why is our comfort the goal? Racial acculturation divides and then subjugates those we deem as others. Further, this acculturation separates us from the problem of racism by denying our perpetuating culpability. Silence is the weapon we were…Read more »
Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism This post is intended as a glimpse into dismantling white supremacy acculturation, and the discomfort that process requires. If the term white supremacy is reserved for those individuals and groups who display repulsive racist views, what term is used to identify the effects of white supremacy acculturation on the rest of us? Why do we…Read more »
Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism I wrote this post in the hope that my experience may strike a chord with other white people who are working to dismantle their own racist acculturation. That it happened, goes without saying; how exactly it happened is what I’ve been trying to unpack for quite a while. Here, I’m going to relate two facets…Read more »
Posted by in wheel throwing Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism She said not to turn away, when we became uncomfortable. The work will make us feel that way. I agreed. I’d heard and understood that message over a decade ago, at a UPenn workshop. I watched folks turn away then, when the work became difficult- when it challenged us to think about who we are.…Read more »
Posted by in out of the proverbial rectangular prism Being the grandmother of three black boys – who will soon become three black men – has changed me. Racial injustice is no longer a discussion or research topic; it now defines my anti racist role, so that my grandsons will be safe and respected by society.I’ve been evolving just as my understanding of what…Read more »
Posted by in clay, pottery, wheel throwing The perfect cylinder escaped his hands, then tumbled around until he slowed the potter’s wheel. It happens sometimes, when trimming the bottom of a pot; the slightest misstep with a tool can result in what seems like utter disaster. The clay had challenged the artisan and threw his expectations off the wheel. He assessed the…Read more »
Posted by in wheel throwing Put a couple of words together and maybe you get a ‘desired effect’ or ‘win-win’. Might filthy nana be an apt name for ceramic jewelry? I may never know; it’s just something I uttered one day, describing the kind of grandmother I happen to be. Not that I live in a sty (and I’m an organized sort…Read more »
Posted by in Craft fair Prep, kiln, wheel throwing I’ve never subscribed to the adage that things happen for a reason. I endorse more of a things happen … and then you do other things. The difference lies in passive versus active involvement in those happening things. Case in point: eight days before the Bethlehem VegFest 2018, with two more glaze firings needed, my kiln failed.…Read more »
