134 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
(Continued from page'l 19) 
The pupil who comes to a studio prepared to do her own 
work and at a rate sufficiently snail-like to insure accuracy, 
is such a surprise that the teacher feels much as a horse might 
if he suddenly found that the wagon he had been pulling at a 
brisk trot, was perfectly willing to detach itself and proceed 
on its own locomotion. 
Pupils begin to sell their work too early. Again the 
teacher is partly to blame. She encourages this because she 
knows it means more lessons for her to give. It is also good 
advertising. Pupils have been known to sell work (which 
the public purchased through blind reverence for anything 
"hand-made") after one month of experience. In what other 
branch of art could this occur? Is it any wonder people say 
"Oh" to us, and accuse us of superficiality? 
Now as to study. How many keramic students keep a 
note-book? How many have read a single book on design? 
How many have inquired into the rules that underlie all art? 
How many could give off-hand the meaning of design, color 
harmony, balance, symmetry, etc.? How many can tell at a 
glance an appropriate design for a bowl, a box, a vase? How 
many can tell why a design is inappropriate? How many 
make a practise of attending keramic exhibitions? How many 
subscribe to an art or crafts magazine? How many are mem- 
bers of keramic clubs? 
I should say one in every class of six. Could this condi- 
tion exist in a portrait class, a sculpture class, a pottery class? 
And it is a poverty-stricken public-library indeed that does 
not give you at least two interesting books on Design or Decor- 
ative Art. Every keramic pupil should have been compelled 
to read Mrs. Paist's course of design which has been appear- 
ing in the Keramic Studio for months. I wonder how many 
teachers have read it? Most of us are too busy making money 
to spend much time on the literature of china-painting. We 
take the short road to our goal forgetting that the longer road 
yields the richer experience. 
What we need to elevate our chosen art, to make it a real 
art, a recognized art, is less hurry, more seriousness, greater 
thoroughness, and a deeper faith in its ideals and its future. 
CUP AND SAUCER— ALBERT W. HECKMAN 
This design is to be carried out in Silver and Green Gold on Sedji ware. Use Silver for the broad band and big square form in 
ornament. For the small square spot use a bit of bright Green or Blue Enamel and for 
all the other parts of the design use Green Gold. 
