I'm doing something a little weird right now, which is reading Thomas Keller's
The French Laundry cookbook cover to cover. The French Laundry is
a Napa Valley restaurant about an hour away from where I live. I've never eaten there. I will eat there someday, and I know people who have eaten there and talked to them about the experience. The French Laundry creates
two 9-course tasting menus every day for their customers, each course very small, and from what I've heard it takes hours to go through the courses. The food is incredibly labor-intensive and made out of the highest quality ingredients, so the base price is $270 a person. It's not a casual meal and they are always booked out two months in advance.
Running a very high-end restaurant and a pottery studio has one major issue in common: every day you go in, and you create from scratch something over and over again. The major challenge is to not become bored, or to hurry through it with your mind elsewhere, or to become deadened to the process and just create by rote. All of these things have happened to me over the years, and when I'm there, I don't even like my job anymore and I feel like a failure. As an artist, this is the most painful place to be. Thomas Keller writes about maintaining passion for the endlessly repeated acts he performs in the kitchen, and he does this by giving each step his full attention. When you give something your full attention, no matter how mundane, you have the opportunity to be filled not with boredom and the urge to rush, but with a sense of wonder and pleasure with your process.
I know this, but still, I can find myself in the studio, banging stuff out as quickly as I can and just trying to get through the day. Reading Keller's cookbook has re-focused me in the studio and made me once again realize that the finished product is worthless to me if I don't enjoy the process.
Both potters and cooks know there are all of these steps that happen in between the idea of what you want to make, and then the finished product. Most of the time what you have at the end is not something that is perfect, or exactly how you imagined it. But this does not necessarily decrease its value. Thomas Keller writes in his book that we must acknowledge there is no such thing as perfect food--or pottery-- only the idea of it. But that doesn't mean we don't strive for perfection anyway. We continue to try for one purpose: to make people happy.
When I read the recipes that Keller has created for the French Laundry, I am filled with wonder. He takes each ingredient and brings out its full essence, not by some kind of magic but by fully appreciating what that ingredient is and treating it with his full attention and respect. He understands what each ingredient can do and in his process, he creates a peak experience. In the flurry of running a successful pottery business, I've put aside labor-intensiveness in favor of efficient production, and frankly, that bores me to death. Keller is inspiring me to not be just about production, but to focus once again on process. Slow down, take my time, and create pieces that receive my full attention. Even when I am reading a recipe in the French Laundry cookbook, I can find my mind drifting and my eyes skimming over the text. When I notice this, I re-focus and start over. And in the studio, when I find myself wondering how soon I can be done with one thing so I can move on to the other, I take a breath, and re-focus.
Running a very high-end restaurant and a pottery studio has one major issue in common: every day you go in, and you create from scratch something over and over again. The major challenge is to not become bored, or to hurry through it with your mind elsewhere, or to become deadened to the process and just create by rote. All of these things have happened to me over the years, and when I'm there, I don't even like my job anymore and I feel like a failure. As an artist, this is the most painful place to be. Thomas Keller writes about maintaining passion for the endlessly repeated acts he performs in the kitchen, and he does this by giving each step his full attention. When you give something your full attention, no matter how mundane, you have the opportunity to be filled not with boredom and the urge to rush, but with a sense of wonder and pleasure with your process.
Both potters and cooks know there are all of these steps that happen in between the idea of what you want to make, and then the finished product. Most of the time what you have at the end is not something that is perfect, or exactly how you imagined it. But this does not necessarily decrease its value. Thomas Keller writes in his book that we must acknowledge there is no such thing as perfect food--or pottery-- only the idea of it. But that doesn't mean we don't strive for perfection anyway. We continue to try for one purpose: to make people happy.
I recently went through this with my work. I found myself trying to reproduce the same item over and over as fast as possible so I could have sort of a production item available at a reasonable price. That lasted about a week and I thought I would lose my mind. I went back to slow methodical and mindful work and I am so much happier. It doesn't help my prices and my work is not affordable for everyone, but that's ok, somebody out there can afford it, and that will just have to do, if I am going to keep my sanity. I saw a program on the French Laundry a couple of months ago, would love to go there one day, sounds amazing!
ReplyDeletePlease know that your work brings delight to many members of my family who, when opening a gift so carefully wrapped, say "Oh, it's a Whitney!" with absolute delight! And please know that while I discovered you first, others are totally smitten too and all of us are using our pieces to serve meals to guests, to adorn our homes (like my lovely little trivet), and to hold beautiful bouquets. You know your cake plates have been at our family weddings, and we thank you for making such wonderful pieces to grace our homes. Don't despair - we certainly do appreciate your talent!! Sheelagh
ReplyDeletesounds like a book we could all appreciate and be inspired to focus on the now :^)
ReplyDeleteI too have read this book cover to cover. It is very inspiring! sometimes I wish re artists and potters would write about their work like this instead of trying to make it sound so intellectual. Another book I totally loved was "Creation out of Clay" by Thomas Benzanson. He was originally a monk who became a potter but somehow his writing is passionate and practical at the same time.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book! This reminds me of when I'm knitting - I think with any process theres one step you get a dislike to. For me it's Wedging clay or Making up jumpers and yet you can't have a finished item unless you do both!
ReplyDeleteThanks Whitney. My past few weeks have been nuts with shows and workshops. Now I have a few weeks with time to breathe. I'm heading into the studio right now with these words in mind.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is interested in learning pottery in the south of England... do not hesitate to take a look at the pottery courses at Vinegar Hill Pottery, and let David work his magic on you!
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