Behind the Wheel: Tales of a Pottery Newbie, part 2

wheel-thrown ... shapes ... glazed and ready to fire

We've had two more … not really classes, because classes imply instruction … but sessions with a teacher. In the meantime, we threw a bit more, trimmed a bit more, and I hand-built some things. I mean, we've gotta use up this clay somehow!!!

So last week I took a bunch of things home -- Wil's cute bowls and cups, my floppy saucer-bowls, and my one shining cup. Wil was super pleased -- but I still feel like we didn't get much out of our investment... either of time or of energy.

finished product

My pieces all seem to have spots where the glaze "crawled" -- but I don't really know how or why (especially on a flat surface). I suppose one might consult the instructor...

I also glazed my collection of misfit pieces -- my ugly ducky pitcher, my first slab bowl, my weird slab vase, and my tiny campfire:

Again, when I picked them up this week, I had spots where the glaze had crawled. I was also really surprised that the tall vase, which I brushed with one layer of watered-down blue glaze, and then dipped in white, turned out quite so blue. Still, they're all just experiments. And I don't care -- I love my little ugly duckling pitcher.

Last week I also built a few pieces -- a simple slab bowl -- I like the geometry of it. And the little tea light holders with the snowflake cut out are pretty satisfying. I hope they turn out okay.

This was an off-week; we didn't have class but the studio was open, so I just went at our regular time. I glazed the snowflake candleholders and another slab bowl, and I spent a little while making a bunch of simple pinch pots.

I had this idea -- from a hazy memory the teacher mentioned in week 2 -- that you can decorate your pots with colored slip. So I wanted to try decorating pinch pots with colored slip, and then carving a pattern into the outside. But as I sat in class, with students from lots of different classes bustling around, none of whom are "beginners", I started to feel weird so I just did one and then left. I've discovered how easy it is to make pinch pots, so I can try again next week. And did I mention I have A LOT OF CLAY LEFT. Hell, even if I just make pinch pots and paint them later, I'll be fine with that.

We have three "classes" left ... though I think she said we only have one more week when we can use wet clay? If so, there are a LOT of pinch pots coming soon.

I do, however, want to highlight my favorite project: a tiny white campfire tea light holder, which pretty much turned out EXACTLY as I wanted it to. WINNER!

Hmm... I wonder if I could make a couple more of those, too? I bet I could.... WILL THERE BE TIME?