Pottery Classes

[Ithildriel]

I could have sworn I subjected all of you to my 'art' from my first pottery class. Apparently I hadn't, and am about to rectify that. Feel free to leave now if you are squeamish.

I have always wanted to take up pottery, and recently decided that there was no time like the present. I took a 6 week beginning pottery class a few months ago. I also took a trip to San Jose for a one on one pottery workshop at the same time. Last Wednesday I finished my second round of the same beginning pottery class (more advanced classes aren't available at my local adult school). While looking at these, please note that during these classes, time is limited (3 hour class, which includes instruction, actual potting, and cleanup) and I am limited to the glaze colors that are available in the class.

I'll start off with my first piece. The first class taught us how to make pinch pots. Here was my first attempt. I keep it on my desk at work to catch paper clips, which I go through a lot of.

[Ithildriel]

At that same class I made this vase. All pieces are fired at the end of the 4th week, the 5th week we glaze. When this piece came back, I saw that it was chipped, so it was the last piece that I glazed. I just used the colors that were left at my work station, not enough of one to do the whole thing.

When we got them back on the sixth week, I saw that the green glaze that broke brown over the edges did a good job of disguising the break. It ended up being my favorite piece.



For Easter we picked some roses from our garden, and I tried to put them in this vase to give my mother in law. Hubby wouldn't let me give it away, so I made a similar one in the second class.

I couldn't find a glaze or combination that I liked. There was a tiny bit of the cobalt blue that is on the bottom of the first vase, so I mixed that with some gray, and I was pleasantly surprised by the almost denim tone it turned out. I think it will offset the pink and yellow-orange roses in my garden nicely.

[Ithildriel]

Another pinch pot from my first class, a little box I am currently using to hold earrings.



A pinchpot creamer sized pitcher I made at the Workshop in San Jose



A pinchpot ashtray from my second class, using that same green/brown breaking glaze. I purposely textured it with my fingerprints to use that glaze with. I think it has a kind of funky 70's look to it.



A couple more small pinch pots I made in the second class

[Ithildriel]

My first coil pot. So far, I enjoy hand building with coils the best. The only nice thing I can say about this one, is that it holds the cat's water well.



A coil pot I made in San Jose. What I learned a lot making this one, mostly that it takes patience to build a tallish pot. If you build to high to fast, you get listing, as demonstrated in this one.





Here is a coil kitchen utensil holder I made at home between classes. You can see the difference when you are able to take time to build the vessel correctly.

[Ithildriel]

A thrown pot from my first class.



And a couple from my second.



And, the turtle.

[52FM]

Glad to see you back!

Your pottery pictures were likely removed by Bob-San as part of your hiatus from the board. I would imagine he removed other personal posts and pictures as well.

Have you continued classes? Your work seems to have gotten a bit more intricate in the outside detailing. I really like the turtle - are you planning more liek that? It woudl seem to be a good outlet for expression and creativity and personalization.

I hope everything is well!

[Ithildriel]

Glad to see you back!

Your pottery pictures were likely removed by Bob-San as part of your hiatus from the board. I would imagine he removed other personal posts and pictures as well.

Have you continued classes? Your work seems to have gotten a bit more intricate in the outside detailing. I really like the turtle - are you planning more liek that? It woudl seem to be a good outlet for expression and creativity and personalization.

I hope everything is well!

Whew, I'm not completely crazy then.

I took the beginning class a second time. The main thing that I have found is that to really get a piece to be what you want it to be, takes patience which means time. Rather than take the class again, I am going to try to get a space ready to work at home.

The turtle was a request from my artist friend that is doing the painting of my grandfather for me. If he ever finishes that painting, I may give it to him.

I have a back room that is just storing a bunch of old junk right now. Once I get motivated, I plan on making it a studio, and doing more pottery, starting out with coil pots and figurines. I'd eventually like to buy my own kiln and a wheel, but while I can afford it now, I want make sure that I actually stick with this hobby before I make that kind of investment in it.