Tonight in class, Kelly had a plate that she wanted to decorate. She had hoped to do some stamping, but it was a bit too dry already. So she did some sgraffito carving instead. And to make her carving lines cleaner & sharper, I brought down my collection of DiamondCore Tools for her to try out. Always a good choice for crisp carving lines… and I’m always willing to share!!!

Back by popular demand… one of my Intermediate Wheel students saw my photos from the bowl demo I did last week for my Beginners on Instagram. She asked if they could see some of the not-so-basic-bowl “tricks” in her class. And who am I to say “no”??? So we did it again… but this time only nine, not the full sixteen!

One of the many downsides to the whole pandemic thing… we can’t share OREO cookies & yummies in classes anymore! So while I’m positive the OREO shareholder profits have dropped dramatically, I also find that I need to tackle new OREO products like this by myself.

I mean MORE for me…
while taking one for the team & keeping everyone safe! Burp…

Today I did a bit of stamping & detailing the class demo bowls I made Tuesday night with my Beginning Wheel students. A bit of stamping, some groves from a wooden tool, or even some lines from chopsticks! Each one done by hand one impression after another.

So now I’ve got a lot of trimming to do after these dry a bit more to leatherhard. My goal is get them all trimmed, dried & bisqued so that I can bring them back to part of my glazing demo for my same group of Beginners!

Last night in my Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class we did my FAVORITE demo of the session! I started with a class demo on how to throw a basic bowl on purpose… and NOT just a cylinder gone bad. A nice smooth curve though the bottom of the bowl… and no “beginners ledge” near the bottom! So we did the demo… made a bowl and they went back to their wheels to start making their bowls… on purpose!

While they were throwing their bowls, I continued to throw more of mine. After throwing a bunch of basic bowls, we reconvened for more demo. Where I showed them some quick decorative tricks, rim alterations and colored slip to make their bowls not-so-basic anymore!

Bowl #1 – four fluted edges

Bowl #2 – if four is good, maybe eight fluted edges is better?

Bowl #3 – flared out rim

Bowl #4 – an even wider flared out rim

Bowl #5 – combined flared rim and four fluted points

Bowl #6 – two indents… with the intention of adding a basket handle over the top from indent-to-indent.

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

Bowl #8 – a split-rim with four indents to make it kind of like a quadrefoil shape

Bowl #9 – another split-rim with four INdents & four OUTdents.. giving it kind of a lotus shape!

Then we switched our focus to colored slips… again with the plan of just showing them some “quick tricks” and encouraging them to play & try more things!

Bowl #10 – a full coating of white slip inside with a paintbrush spiral

Bowl #11 – a fuill layer of white slip with a wooden tool dragged through it while the wheel was turning to reveal the darkness of the clay as a spiral.

Bowl #12 – finger-painting a squiggle through the white slip while the wheel is spinning.

Bowl #13 – rhythmic chattering with a plastic rib through the white slip while the wheel is spinning.

Bowl #14 – a full coating of white slip, the vertical lines dragged through with a rubber rib, and then the center re-applied & smoothed out with just the cutest little spiral ever!

Bowl #15 – I introduced using two colors of slip with simple banding.

Bowl #16 – and then an ombre blending, with a spiral dragged through.

So for now they’re under plastic so they don’t dry out too quickly… as there’s a “good chance” that there just “might” be a bit of stamping, texturing & embellishing of these bowls before the dry too much.

MORE IS MORE!!!… right???

It’s always gratifying as a teacher to see your students soaking up everything you’re showing them, embracing the project and then doing the demo themselves in class. So it was fun to see Darcy “loving” every part of the stamping demo… soaking up every little trick… and then working her magic on her own platters that she threw last week in class.

But here’s a question…
Is there such a thing as teaching them TOO WELL and now their work looks like mine?… or perhaps I just found my first studio apprentice??? HA!!!

Well done Darcy – your platters look GREAT!!!

Last night in my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class, I did a demo on how I stamp my platters. We threw the platters last week in class, so it was perfect timing for a demo when they also had platters to decorate!!!

So tonight in my pottery class it was Kate’s BIRTHDAY! And since we can’t “share” a package of OREO’s anymore during these crazy days… I decided we should be able to celebrate with individual serving packages hermetically sealed & safe for everyone.

So I added candles… got ready for class to surprise her…

Only to find out that Kate didn’t come tonight!!! Mwah, mwah, mwah…
So the real question… do I save them for next week?…
or do I eat them… and do I get some bonus points for at least trying???

For class tonight I did a couple demos of throwing plates & platters. For this dinner plate I channeled my inner Steven Showalter… trying out some of his amazing textural slip work! Thanks Steven for being such a great teacher & sharing so much online. Love your work, your techniques & your willingness to share! I just payed it forward!!

Be sure to follow Steven on Instagram – @stevenshowalterpottery

Here’s your chance to come play in the mud with me!!! New for the Fall session starting next week… I’ll be teaching Advanced Wheelthrowing on Thursday mornings from 10:00am-1:00pm. There’s still a couple openings… even though my Beginning & Intermediate Wheel classes are already booked.

Check out www.lillstreet.com to register for Fall classes!!!