Pottery Class: Day 3 Posted Jul-27-2005

Well! Things are moving right along here.

Before Class Attitude (BCA):

Class three meant I was half-way done! Not only that, but I’ve settled into the mode of having fun with this and no longer dread failing. My creativity coach told me after my first class, “Any time we experiment with something it is part of the process and the intention of experimenting to learn about whether the medium/skill set is a fit for us.” I have to agree there. And I responded that I would see this through to make that determination.

In doing so, I’ve turned myself into a “pottery class mole.” You know how actors take on odd-jobs to prepare themselves for an upcoming role? Well, I’m acting my way through this process, and by shifting my attitude, I’m beginning to have a lot of fun. And because of this, it’s no surprise that other things are getting smoother along the way.

Class Experience:

I went back, worked my clay, and ALMOST had bowl to take off the wheel. Can you believe it?

Class started with instruction on how to merge older dried-out clay with newer wet clay to achieve a happy medium of clay mixture for the wheel that was not too wet, or too try (hmmm, let’s call this the “Goldilocks” technique). Definitely good advice to tuck away, you know, to stretch resources when I open my big pottery wheel clay business (NOT! But yes, still a good tip).

After that, Stella moved on to demonstrate the next pottery feat: taller cylinder shapes, perfect for mugs and other tall non-bowl things. She even brought in some of her own cup creations currently serving as her tea mug and her husband’s wine goblet, respectively.

A cool side point was seeing how the wider “bubbly” base on a mug is achieved. We didn’t get to see how the handle is made just yet. That’s supposed to be covered in the next class. Another demonstration showed us how tiny things like a single-rose flower vase are made on the wheel. Nope, you don’t have to start with a teeny ball of clay and work it with two fingers. You actually work it off the top of a big mound of clay and trim it from there when you’re done. Hey, I’m learning a bunch of cool things!

Back to my project. Of course I’m not going to move on to mug-making until I get the bowl right. And low and behold, on my second try, I actually managed to make a bowl that Stella approved of to take off the wheel. Yahoo! The only problem was that I made the bottom too thin, and when we tried to slice it off the wheel, the bottom literally fell out (<-- hey, a pottery cliché!) Without a hint of disappointment I declared, “I’ll just try again next week!”

The highlight of the evening, of this whole process so far, was sitting in front of the wheel looking at MY BOWL. I did it! After three weeks, I finally had a breakthrough. Well, literally with the bottom falling out and all…

After Class Attitude (ACA):

Maybe, I just might have something to show at the end of the course. Stella won’t let me move into the “glazing” step unless I have something of my own doing from the wheel. Gah, what good is the pottery class if I can’t dip into the glaze?

*affirms to self*

I will complete a bowl.

I will complete a bowl with a thick bottom.

That won’t ‘bottom out’ when taken off the wheel.

That won’t fall out of my hands and squish on the floor after successfully taking it off the wheel.

That won’t be taken out of my hands and thrown at the wall by my jealous classmates.

That will be protected and dry without someone touching it so it can be fired.

That will be fired and not spontaneously combust before I get a chance to glaze it.

That will be glazed in all of my third-grade glee.

That will be fired a second time without incident and turn out awesome.

That won't be carried off by an army of ants before I get to see it.

That will be picked up by me and not dropped and broken into a zillion fragments before I get to take a picture of it.

Ahem.

Just thinking out loud.

By the way, I found out that Tina (another classmate) isn’t digging the whole pottery thing either. Why does that make me feel better? Because now I have confirmation that it’s not *just me*. (© 2005 Chris Dunmire) •

Next: Pottery Class: Day 4