After the rain… err, or should I say “between” the rain as it looks like there’s more in the way later tonight. Cool raindrops caught in the crazy-fun flowers of my front garden’s smoke bush!

And with that… another week of Summer Camp comes to an end! Five days of fun teaching kids to make their own pottery on the wheel… like this ADORABLE cat bowl that C.C. made this week!!! The cutest.

Christmas in July??? … too soon???
Never too soon for another batch of holiday ornaments thrown off-the-hump
before Sumner Camp this morning!!!

After just three days of wheelthrowing, my campers did their trimming, texturing & finishing of their pots today… as tomorrow is our last day to be spent painting everything with colored slips. So imagine my excitement to see camper Sophia pull off her very first teapot!!! Super cute & she did it all by herself. I was just there to teach, encourage, inspire… and yes, I might have brought some clay stamps for them to use too!!!

And with Summer Camp in full-swing, so is Rule #3…
“Whatever mess you make, YOU will be cleaning up!”
And they do.

I’ve got a great bunch of kids this week… well-trained & eager to help out!

Another week filled with a bunch of crazy 10-12 year olds learning to throw on the wheel.
Getting all gloppy & gloopy… with plenty of giggling too!

Summer lilies blooming in the garden. Sweet smelling & a sweet sight to start the day!

Not a lot of clouds, not a lot of drama.
Just another beautiful morning to ride along the lakefront.

So I did.

Here’s a “quick tour” of the bowl variations I did last night as part of my class demo about making “not-so-basic bowls.” I think I may have impressed & overwhelmed my Beginners all at the same time?! But they seemed excited… and hopefully inspired to make some groovy “not-so-basic bowls” of their own!

BOWL #1 – Plain
This is where they all started before the altering demo portion!!!

BOWL #2 – Two flutes twists.

BOWL #3 – Eight fluted twists.
I mean if two were good, maybe eight would be better?

BOWL #4 – Thin flared flange.
Just the top inch or so… bent down & flared out.

BOWL #5 – Wide flared flange.
I mean, if a thin flange was nice, maybe a wide one would be nicer???

BOWL #6 – Flared and Fluted.

BOWL #7 – Split-rim and pinched back together.

BOWL #8 – Split rim with two indentations… preparing to add a “basket” handle later.

BOWL #9 – Split-rim with four indentations.

BOWL #10 – Lotiu… Split rim with four inward indentations & four outward indentations.

BOWL #11 – Thick white slip with a spiral dragged through.

BOWL #12 – Thick whit slip with banded areas… setting up areas to carve later.

BOWL #13 – Thick white slip with finger squiggles through the slip.

BOWL #14 – Thick white slip with chattering for the pattern.
Rhythmic tapping with a green runner rib –
up & down, wheel spinning & moving up & out all at the same time!

BOWL #15 – Ombre’ blended slips with banded areas for future carving.

And there’s where we left it off… fifteen different bowls in just a few minutes of alterations. My students loved the demo… and I loved doing it. My favorite demo every session! I just hope it inspires some of them to “play” with their clay a bit more!!!

Last night with my Beginning Wheel class, we focused on making bowls on purpose… and NOT cylinders gone bad! After my first demo, I made “a few more” bowls while they practiced their bowls. With the plan of a fun Part Two demo to come… altering & decorating!!!