PSA: A local gallery owner mentioned my pieces were 'too symmetrical'

I was at the First Friday art walk in Asheville, and a gallery owner I respect said my recent blown vessels were technically perfect but lacked a 'breath of life' because they were too even. It made me wonder if I'm over-relying on my jacks and not letting the glass move more freely. How do you all balance technical control with organic form in your work?

4 comments

4 Comments

brian_taylor152mo ago

My pottery teacher once told me my handles were too perfect and looked machine-made. I started deliberately leaving a thumbprint in the clay as a little rebellion. That small imperfection became my favorite part of the whole piece.

grantw412mo ago

That thumbprint rebellion thing reminds me of how my grandma always left one stitch wrong in her knitting.

taylor.william2mo ago

Isn't that the whole point of making something by hand?

simonk9824d ago

Try letting a bubble collapse on purpose. I spent a whole summer making deliberately lopsided vases and calling it a "series on imperfection" just so I could feel superior about my shaky hands. Now I can't tell if I'm being artsy or just bad at my job. Works great for cocktail party stories though.