When I was in Australia last winter, Jessica got me on her pottery wheel and I loved it! A year later now, we've happened to move near a workshop / studio for artists and I have started a pottery class at Freya's Clay Club there. I thoroughly enjoy it! On top of that, Freya (our teacher) is on the Great Pottery Throw Down (on now on BBC 2)!
It is really rewarding to see how quickly one can progress from one pot to another. On my first block of 4 sessions, I've done bowls; the first ones were small and thick, the later thinner and wider; and small vases with constricted necks.
First step is throwing the clay on the wheel and shape it to whatever you are able to make. Then the following week, the clay has hardened a bit and we turn it on the wheel again, this time refining the shape. Then it is fired at 1000°C to become hard as a stone. We can then apply glaze on it, by dipping them in the bucket of liquid glaze. Then the pots are fired again to vitrify and fuse the glazing to the ceramic pot. Interestingly, the glazes are not the same colour at all before and after firing, so it's always a surprise to see how the pots end up looking in the end!
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| The studio with the wheels to turn the clay |
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| My pots, fresh from being shaped |
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| My firsts vases; smaller is easier! |
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| Thick edged bowl; thicker is easier! |
