Last session, my Intermediate Wheel class wanted a fun challenge & a holiday themed project. Inspired by my Mom’s ceramic snowman, I challenged them all to make their own version! And here they go…

So “word on the street” is that registration for Winter pottery classes at Lillstreet will open tomorrow morning. I will be teaching three classes & a soda-firing workshop during the Winter session. Registration for my classes fill up FAST… so be prepared to sign-up early!!! – www.lillstreet.com

Intermediate Wheel – Mondays 7-10pm

Beginning Wheelthrowing – Tuesdays 7-10pm

The Great Lillstreet Throwdown – Thursdays 7-10pm
The BEST class ever… based on the British reality show “The Great Pottery Throw Down.” The class is full of projects, challenges, races, contests & other fun & frivolity… and a great prize for the Winner at the end of the session!!!

… and a Soda-Firing Workshop towards the end of February!

As part of our final class of the Fall session, my Intermediate Wheel class did a fun “trading-exchanging-stealing game”… with a category theme of handmade flower pot with a plant in it. Some people were “racing” with the kiln and weren’t quite able to get a plant, but we were pleased their flower pots at least made it out of the kiln in time! Always a fun way to end a great session with fun students!!!

And, in case you’re wondering… I came home with the beautiful red flower pot with a red anthurium flowering in it from Darcy… perfect for the holidays!

This week, my Tuesday night Beginning Wheel class finished their Fall session… and we played a game!!! A little white elephant trading-stealing-sharing kind of game where they each brought in one of their handmade mugs to add to the game… and they went home with someone else’s masterpiece mug! I brought in this stamped & tenmoku glazed mug… and after some “stealing” went home with this red & white beauty by Karin. A great way to finish off this session with a great group of students!!

Many years ago, I bought this cute ceramic snowman for my Mom while on a bike ride. At the time I had just started taking my Beginning Wheel class. Fast forward to now… where I now own this guy after downsizing my Dad’s place…. and teaching pottery classes! My Monday night class was looking for a fun “challenge” project… something holiday… and something fun! So this guy served as the prototype for our challenge. Where they’re all making their own snowman in their own style. Tonight is the last class of our Fall session… so it’s also the big “Snowman Reveal.” I can’t wait to see what they’ve all come up with!!!

Last night in class, I surprised my class with trick-or-treat bags with goodies… complete with candy, pottery tools, Halloween toys & more… some even got little pieces of my pottery demos !!!

Trick or Treat!!! Methinks my wheelthrowing class might be enjoying another “yellow towel” moment tonight!

So last night in class there “may have been” another yellow towel situation… it’s been too long!

Someone brought the teacher an apple! Well, several of them!!! One of my Tuesday night students brought me a bag of apples freshly picked from her brother’s apple orchard up in northern Michigan. So nice, so yummy… and Jen definitely got an A+ for Tuesday night class!!! Thanks Jen!!!

After throwing fourteen bowls that were all pretty much the same… my class re-grouped so that I could show them some quick tricks & techniques to make their own bowls more one-of-a-kind. I explained how I kinda feel like the wheel does most of the work in making a round bowl. But that it’s up to them to make it special & make it their own! Some quick alterations to help them make some “not-so-basic bowls”!!!

Bowl #1 – the plain one, as they all started out.

Bowl #2 – two simple finger flutes.

Bowl #3 – And if two are cute, maybe eight flutes are better?

Bowl #4 – a flared out flange.

Bowl #5 – a larger flared out flange.

Bowl #6 – A flared flange combined with four fluted edges.

Bowl #7 – a split rim… then pinched back together in eight places.

Bowl #8 – another split rim, this time indented with the side of a wood knife.

Bowl #9 – another split rim – indented in wards & outwards.

After doing some altered rims, it was time to switch to colored slips. Just adding more options & decoration techniques for my students to play with.

Bowl #10 – a layer of thick white slip, then dragged through with the rounded end of my wooden knife.

Bowl #11 – thick white slip with banded details.

Bowl #12 – finger squiggles through the thick white slip.

Bowl #13 – Channeling my inner-Steven Showalter and trying out some of his wonderful slip techniques!

Bowl #14 – rhythmic chattering through the thick white slip.

So for now, all of the bowls went up to my studio to spend the night under plastic. Trying to keep them form drying out too close… as there’s a “very good chance” that there may be some stamping & detailing still to come!