Today in my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class we tackled throwing taller… vase, bottle, whatever. It was all about getting the clay to move up off the bottom, getting it out of the bottom corners and move it up the sides to make taller pieces.

After a demo with a few quick tips & tricks, they were well on their way. I gave them a challenge of at least 9-inches tall with two pounds of clay. Everyone who tried it made it… and some were just a bit giddy!

Last night in my Beginning Wheelthrowing class, we tackled making “bowls on purpose”… instead of cylinders gone bad! After making a few demo bowls, we regrouped (socially-distanced of course) for more demo time where I showed them some quick tricks & techniques on how to make their basic round bowls not so “basic” any more! Ten quick bowls & ten different decorative techniques!

Bowl #1 – Eight fluted edges around the rim.

Bowl #2 – A narrow flared-out flange.

Bowl #3 – A wider flared out flange.

Bowl #4 – Split-rimmed and then pinched back together in eight places!

Bowl #5 – Split-rimmed with four indented sides to make a kind of quadrefoil effect.

Bowl #6 – Split-rimmed and then pinched in & pinched out making like a squared-off lotus shape.

Bowl #7 – White slip with a tight spiral dragged through.

Bowl #8 – A thick layer of white slip with a fingertip squiggle dragged through.

Bowl #9 – White slip chattered with a rubber rib as the bowl was spinning on the wheel.

Bowl #10 – White & black slip ombre’ blended and then a spiral dragged through.

And for now they’re under wraps in my studio drying slowly… as many of them “might just” get some stamping, texturing & detailing?!

So I taught my new Intermediate Wheelthrowing class yesterday in the new wheelthrowing room at Lillstreet Art Center. I was stupified by the amount of natural light coming in through the windows!!! My studio has no window access so it was all new to me. It was kind of amazing… huge windows along the wall above the wheels… then I realized that I typically teach night classes… and that might be part of it too?!

Okay, so I know I said that those flower pots would be the last thing before my soda-firing deadline… but I’m pretty sure I can squeeze in a quick batch of mugs too!!! You know they’re my favorite thing to make!!! So what’s another dozen…

Freshly thrown… soon to be made into little flower pots. I finally scheduled my next soda-firing, so these might be the last “new” things I can crank out to get into that kiln?! We’ll see… you know I love a deadline… and a good challenge!!!

So after playing hooky all day on my bike while it was gorgeous outside…
I finally made it into the studio for a very productive evening!
Throwing LOTS of parts & pieces for another big project!

Just another fun night of making mini vases… even more fun when you’re thowing off-the-hump!!! Making more cutie-patooties!

So my berry bowls are now cleaned-up & drying… but I think a good berry bowl needs a little plate to go with it. That way you can wash some berries, let them drain, and then serve them in the same berry bowl… with the plate under it to keep the water from dripping on your table. So tonight I made some little drip plates…

Another quiet & solitary night in the studio… no one around to divert my attention from throwing some more bowls. Just getting started on a fresh batch of new berry bowls. More to come!

Yesterday was another great Instagram Live with Steve Lee from the Archie Bray! He’s doing weekly “shows” every Friday… this time from his own shelter-in-place studio in his basement. It was great to see him doing some throwing demos again, this time on the treadle wheel he built for himself back in college! Crazy, right?! Be sure to tune in next week on the Archie Bray Instagram Feed for more with Steve Lee!