Over the past six weeks, I have been taking a pottery class. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but just never made time for.
I had never thrown on the wheel before this class and each step of the process was more difficult than I thought it would be. It’s not hard to throw a pot, but it takes a lot more than six weeks to throw anything great (and avoid ruining it in the trimming, firing or glazing stages). I have a new-found respect for potters! I ended up with 24 pieces in all. (Two are still waiting to be fired.)
These were some of the first pieces I threw, and their forms certainly suggest it, but they are proof that glaze can make all the difference.
Everything I made is a cup / bowl / dish except for this little basket. I’m not in love with it, but it will probably look better with jelly beans inside.
These are my teeny pieces. The smallest is the blue piece on the bottom, which is three inches in diameter. I tried to go smaller, but my hands got in the way.
I used a wax resist technique when glazing this little bowl and layered lavender on top of yellow.
My throwing technique did get much better as the class went along, and my better pieces are my favorites. The inside of this dish is almost perfectly concave. The base is a little thicker, so it’s got some nice heft. It has a buttery yellow glaze on the inside and black amber on the outside.
This might be my favorite of my favorites. The glaze is a simple teal all over, but the dish is deep and one of my best as far as form goes.
I really wish I had used the white glaze on a few more pieces, but I didn’t know I would love it this much. It’s creamy and opaque and it looks like white enamel. Love it.
I’m really tempted to take another session so I can make some larger pieces, but clay classes are expensive and they’ve made life a bit hectic, so I may take a break for a little while.
These are awesome!