Pottery Class #3

 This is the stack of all the plates we put on the wheel. Makes cleanup easier by putting these plates on there. Some leave their items right on the plates to dry. So far mine have all been able to be removed. Usually it is the bigger pieces that stay right on the plates.

 These are all the open drawers of the tools we use. Thankfully there are signs (should take pictures of them next week) that remind us what the tools we normally need are called & look like.

I am really happy they have everything there for us to use. I am considering buying a membership to the Art Center so that I can buy clay from there and use their stuff. They don't allow you to bring in your own clay. The cost of the clay they sell you includes use of everything, as well as firing and glazing.

 My creations this week. There was a fourth (well, it was 2nd chronologically) that was weak in an area and collapsed, so I have 4 creations drying this week.

I was able to trim out one of the pieces I made last week. The other one was still too tacky and had to go back to the shelf. I was able to move my 2 pieces from week 1 and 1 piece from week 2 to the Firing Room to the shelf labeled Greenware.

This was the first creation this week, used my clay. The second piece that collapsed was made with my clay. I imagine this might make a good fruit bowl.

What I mean by "my clay" is the clay I purchased from the Art Center. All of us bought 25 pound bags of this clay and it was all quite hard and we switched to recycled clay after a while, which is what the other 2 pieces (lighter in color) are made from.

 The one on the left was my 3rd attempt. If this make it, it could become a planter.

The one on the left & bottom was my fourth creation. I was attempting to make something to be used as a vase. This is a shorter one that would be good to hold all the flowers in our landscaping. I would like to attempt a taller one too. So many things to learn. I still want to learn to make a saucer too.

I know I have mentioned ideas of how to use each item, but in actuality they told us to expect that half our stuff is going to break. Well, that's discouraging.

But now I have this sprained wrist, so I am not sure how much I can do in my class on Thursday. Although I will have 4 pieces to trim out and a mug handle to make, so that will take some time to do all of that. I will ask to use the recycled clay again since that did was very soft and see if I can work with that and tape up my wrist to support it. If it won't work I may ask the teacher to build up my clay for me and than I can take over with the opening part. I hope I can make at least one piece, but we'll see.