KurtHuhn wrote:I hear you guys. I FEEL you guys. I understand your point of view.
What I'm saying, and probably not conveying properly, is that there are things that can be learned that require the proper teacher. Jeff, you were able to open my eyes, while Todd wasn't. Does that make his process invalid? No - it makes it not applicable to my learning process.
You can't make a blanket statement, based on your experience, and apply to every person. If that were true, autistic children could be taught in public school the same as every other child - and we know for a fact that isn't so.
I regret that this has become about you (Kurt) and me. Kurt, you are, as I understand it, a professional pipemaker. If you didn't have significant enough clientele to support your pipemaking efforts, I doubt you would have made the jump. My opinion of your work is largely irrelevant. This is evidenced by the fact that Larry Roush probably makes quite a good living with his pipes, despite my personal assessment of them.
You've said that your real issue is with being written off, but I have never written you off. I am willing to concede, for the sake of argument here, that you are autistic, but I also have no obligation to you. I've not agreed to be your teacher or to hold your hand. I have taught a good many pipemakers in my shop and they have, to a man, become successful carvers in their own right. If you think you can become a great carver then go to it. If you think you can learn line and shape with the right instructor, fine. If you think I'm not him, we are probably in agreement.
You posted a pipe to the private gallery that was confused and ill formed. It had elements of two shapes but gave no clear indication as to which shape it was "trying" to be. I suggested that you learn the shapes better before trying to imitate them. Apparently you considered that unhelpful, but I meant it most sincerely, and took some time to find an electronic copy of the article I was talking about. My real point, though, was that you needed to decide on the shape you were making before there were grounds on which to critique it. In point of fact, the shape you suggested you were trying to make, and the shape that Jeff was trying to give you pointers on, were not the same.
If your learning process requires very specific instruction, I would suggest you not alienate those who may be able to provide it. I'm speaking less here of myself than of others.
Todd
