My (imagined) conversation with Eva Zeisel

"All negative attitudes inhibit the process of creation; they
stop the joy of aesthetic play... Only the positive attitude
of generosity, a friendly dialogue with our work from the
beginning to the end of its development, will produce
pleasant variety." Eva Zeisel, from Eva Zeisel: On Design.

The design of Eva Zeisel has always made me smile and
relax, but today the words of Eva are inspiring as I am
working on the incantation bowl project. All of these parts
need to somehow fit together into a cohesive collection,
ready to show in September. Need to maximize my time
before September--tell me what to do Eva.

Eva Zeisel's Town & Country "Schmoo" Shakers
Red Wing Pottery, 1947-1956

Eva said, "I have rarely designed objects that were meant to
stand alone. My designs have family relationships. They are
either mother and child, siblings, or cousins. They might not
have identical lines, but there is always a family relationship."
Got it, a cohesive body of work is a happy family reunion.
Note: Need to weed out the reunion crashers or the ones
who really do not want to be there.

"We should not be embarrassed by beauty. In fact, beauty,
harmony, loveliness, elegance, and usefulness...should be
what we designers strive for today in the twenty-first
century." In a 2008 TED Talk, Zeisel said, "We are actually
concerned with the playful search for beauty." You tell 'em
Eva!

The playful search of beauty is a great way to make art--
and live. Eva died December, 2011 at the age of 105.
Thank you Eva for teaching us to be bold, graceful, and
subtle all at once. According to Lance Esplund, she was
"never frail", and "strong yet delicate." Her works are
"hybrids of plant, animal, and human forms. They relate
to one another like members of a family."