Mud-Pie Dilemma: A Master Potter's Struggle to Make Art and Ends Meet

by John Nance

Paperback: 164 pages
Publisher: Timber Press; First Edition (1978)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0-917304-18-7
Dimensions: 10.25" x 8.35" x 0.7"
Shipping Weight: 1.59 lbs.

The economic dilemma of today's professional craftsman is a struggle few men or women are able to conquer. Many who attempt to make a living from the sale of their work are tragically suffocated with the cheap mass-produced wares that blanket society.

The Mud-Pie Dilemma is the story of an endangered profession; a profession threatened with financial extinction. It is a book about a master potter whose dedication to his craft is so intense that he willingly accepts the challenge to weave a life of creative commitment with economic survival.

In this unusual book, John Nance takes you inside the studio of Thomas Coleman for an intimate and revealing look at the life of a contemporary potter. The story begins with Coleman's preparation for a major showing of his work.

Nance explores through words and photographs Coleman's skillful techniques which have led to his recognition as one of the most talented potters in the United States today. Coleman's work in porcelain has received national acclaim. Throughout the text Nance provides a photographic document of Coleman's work from the time he readies the clay for the wheel until he glazes his pots and adds the final brushed designs. Full-color photographs show his magnificent finished pieces.