Clayvessel Makes Some Clay Vessels (just for fun!)

When was the last time there was a post about pots around here? It's been a looooong time. It's just cakes, cakes, cakes, cupcakes and cakes. We're getting tired of cakes aren't we?

Finally I'm getting a bit of a breather from my wedding business demands. The contracts are written so I don't have paperwork calling my name every Monday morning. I'm still meeting with bridal couples, (already planning weddings for next summer!) but the bulk of the office work is done for now. I'm temporarily stocked up in the inventory department and my baking schedule is lighter this week with only tiny little wedding cakes instead of five tiered baking demands like last week.

So.... I got me a little time in my dusty (and once again cob-web coated) clay studio today.

Throwing pots...it's like riding a bicycle. Once the muscle memory gets warmed up, the fun begins.

Clay that has been sitting around neglected becomes aged and is more plastic and throwable than newer clay. I love to make rounder shapes with narrow necks with old clay. It is so forgiving and easy to throw. I didn't have a list of client pots or items for a gallery show to make. I could just throw for fun whatever came to be.


And since it was a leisurely summer afternoon, Samuel's fondest wish finally came true. He's been haunting my studio for years, making little handbuilt pieces and playing with the pottery wheel's functions, dreaming of throwing some pottery but the time had not yet come. It was Mom's space and she had work to do. She didn't need kids invading and messing up the system.

Lately he's been asking nearly every day to get a lesson in pottery making. Today was the day. He was convinced he could teach himself but he found out quickly it wasn't so easy as Mom makes it look. He practiced centering and then I taught him the mechanics of making a small simple pot. The first two attempts ended up as scrap but the third try stayed on center and he made a little dish and then another little bowl.

The boy was pretty happy with himself.

So, a couple hours in the pottery studio yielded some good clay fun.

A nice change from sugar, butter and eggs.