Dan

I knew it was critique but the expression on his face as he said "I would
have cut the foot..." told me he was adding his personal artiste opinion
and that is what bent my tail feathers.

I learned quite a bit from this particular situation - including, be
prepared to hear something you do not expect and the work better be able to
stand up in the craftsmanship department as well as the form and design
originality. So, now I really take a good hard look at the work to see if
it hits high marks for skill and form before I even take the time to finish
it. I have a small pile of dead pieces of finished work. One of my goals
is the never have to put another piece in that pile.

Ray



"Dan Bollinger" wrote in message
news:vrTbc.180890$Cb.1689677@attbi_s51...
A funny story (at least I think it is) about a critique one of my pieces
received at the 2002 Symposium in Providence.

Ray, I think you are mixing critique with acceptance and even sales. They
are
quite distinct. You asked the man with the gray beard for a critique and
you got
one. It must have been good, it encouraged you to try new things. He
never said
the piece wasn't any good and he never said he wouldn't buy it or add it
to a
museum collection if given the chance. Just because he had a suggestion to
make
doesn't mean that the piece had no value. That was something you decided.

One thing I've noticed about myself, and this may be true of your
critiquer, is
that I tend to be more critical of work as it gets better. I'm not sure
why and
its probably a fault of mine. Perhaps if I see a piece that was almost
perfect I
want that last smidgeon of quality. Maybe he works the same way?

Here's the deal. EVERYONE criticises other peoples work. EVERYONE judges
the
value of a turned piece. EVERYONE sees flaws. SOME will say this outloud.
Even
FEWER will say it to you. Lucky YOU if they do. Dan