Ehren Tool, Potter and Marine

He was a Marine, in our first adventure in Iraq. Now, he says, "I just make cups." They are commemorative cups, discussion cups. He started making them for veterans, with images (stamps, decals) from the wars in Iraq, then elsewhere. Then he started making them for individuals, with images they chose, of their weapons, decorations, friends... Now he makes them with people.  And gives them all away. He's had exhibits, lectures, group discussions, hoping to start talk about the experiences and costs of war.

I discovered him in a very moving segment of the Craft in America TV series. It's from 2014, "Service". What grabbed me most was one sentence: "peace is the only adequate war memorial." Of course. Plus something to acknowledge the individuals who suffer.

And my response is to make and give cups with that sentence written on them. Let me know if you want one.

check him out:dirtycanteen.com/ehren-tool

Commit Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty

It's a bumper sticker of course. I like it. Seeing it again, I was caught by the idea of senseless acts of beauty. Are they ever senseless, really?

Here are some beauties, each made by someone's "act". These are pictures from Lark Books' 500 Pitchers. There's a wonderful series of 500_______.

Wow!

This is the one! I've had fun trying to make pitchers with this sort of top rim. It works, wonderfully.

These are very far from senseless. They are all designed, considered, developed, worked out and practiced, I'm sure. And looked at and felt. What could make something senseless? Nature, I think. And the beauty nature makes, that's senseless, but often gorgeous to our senses.

Like the art that clouds make on this building?

Sometimes we, sensibly, sensitively,  try to make things that have that natural beauty. Here's one, beautiful. But no such thing as a human senseless act of beauty.