For our final THROWDOWN challenge of the night, the teams of two were BOTH BLINDFOLDED and challenged to make a cup & saucer with pinch pot techniques! They each had to make a matching cup with handle & a saucer… MATCHING!!! Yes, they had to build a “matching” set while never seeing or feeling the other person’s piece. They had to discuss & analyze their pieces verbally so their partner had an idea of what they were both working on… size, scale, proportions, style, decorations, etc. With 45 minutes, they all had plenty of time to discuss & describe their pieces… and to be in the dark the whole time!

And since we had an odd number of students in class this week, I had to step-in & was partnered with Melanie who KILLED it in all three challenges!!!

This week in my LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, we did some handbuilding challenges! Mostly just “technique” challenges… but the biggest challenge was being BLINDFOLDED!!! They were divided into teams of two… one was the “Maker” and the other was the”Caller.” The Caller was the eyes of the team… giving instruction, advice & encouragement for the Maker. The Maker was the one competing to make the longest coil, or largest slab. And yes, they switched places for the two challenges so they each had a chance to play with the clay… and a chance to see how it feels to be the Teacher. As many of my THROWDOWN students have not had a lot of handbuilding experience!

Sorry, I missed photos of the coil-rolling challenge… my bad!

Back by popular demand… tonight in my Intermediate Wheel class, we did a stamp-making demo again! And made some fun stamps along the way. Now they just need to dry & be bisqued before we can start to use them!

Continuing our “game” theme… my Lillstreet Throwdown students continued by choosing a shape from the SQUID GAME logo… just a quick choice… unaware that they then would later be tasked with building a three-dimensional version! A tough challenge to make 6-inch tall piece in just 60 minutes… especially with some students having very limited handbuilding experience!

Turns out most of them chose the triangle… which meant a pyramid! Only three chose the square… which meant a cube. And no one chose the circle which would have meant a sphere! Some of them got a bit too wrapped-up in the geometry of a pyramid… HA!!!… but in the end, they all did great & had a fun time!!!

And maybe learned a little sumthin’-sumthin’ along the way?!

This week in my Lillstreet Throwdown class, I decided to kick it off with a rousing game of JENGA. With each person taking a turn to “make it taller, without making it flop.” Whoops Sara!!!

And then we followed that up with “Clay Jenga” on the wheel. With two people competing against each other… each doing one pull to make their “shared” thrown cylinder taller. Each person taking a turn to “make it taller, without making it flop.” It had to rise at least 1/4” per person, per turn… and not flop. The last one to do a successful pull won that round & moved on in our class brackets… until we had that one final winner!!!

Towards the end of this week’s Lillstreet Throwdown class, the students received their MASTER CHALLENGE. A long-term project for them to work on throughout the session. The goal is for all of them to bring their finished masterpieces to our final class for critique & judging. And you know I love a good theme.. . so each of them had the chance to choose which Fairy Tale they would base their final pieces on. But what are they making?… it was a surprise to them, so I think maybe I’ll keep it a surprise for you too!!! More to come… once upon a time…

This week in my LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, the students brought back their “finished” mug… from their first “perfect” prototype cylinder from the first challenge. Always fun to see where they have taken their vision with some trimming, refining & handles!. But then they were tasked with another challenge of throwing a saucer to go along with that mug… similar in design, finish & function. After just 45 minutes, they brought both pieces back to the table for critique & judging. Another fun challenge!

Last night in class we continued our OREO addiction with the newest flavor!
Double-stuffed & loaded with crumbled OREOs!!!
Thanks for bringing cookies to class Allison! burp.

Last night in my pottery class, my Beginners tackled trimming, pulling & attaching handles… thus finishing their first mugs. And it’s only Week Two!!

Last night was the kick-off of my LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class!! With a great new group of potters ready to take on my silly games, races, projects & challenges!

Last night they started off throwing one “perfectly” mug shaped cylinder in their own style. Only to be followed up by a challenge to throw more cylinders that MATCHED… but not theirs, they had to match everyone else’s!!! Matching pots are tough enough, let alone matching someone else’s shape & style!!! Lots of pots, lots of fun!!! And we’re just getting started…