Writers looking at a blank computer screen; painters staring at a blank canvas; gardeners treading a grassy rectangle - I could go on but you get the gist. There are days I sit and look at a lump of soft white clay.
Normally, I will have been thinking about a piece I would like to make for a while. I’m a big believer in imagery and will mull it over in my head for days before starting. However, it doesn’t mean that starting it is easy.
I put on my big girl pants, let out a deep, soulful breath and here we go - the flow-chart of a piece of pottery.
Wedge the clay - basically kneading it to homogenise the clay particles and allegedly make it easier to throw with. I class this as a workout, the exercise app on my watch thinks I’m running up and down stairs and gets really happy for me.
Shape the clay - most of my pieces begin on the pottery wheel. The clay is centred (a skill I spent a long time practising) and then using the spinning motion of the wheel I control the shape, moving it up and out until I’ve got the curves and symmetry I’ve been hoping for. This part of the process is definitely my favourite.
Alter the clay - maybe this is my favourite part? I do love slip-trailing liquid porcelain designs onto the surface of the partly dry pot. The clay behaves at this stage and I can add handles, spouts or knobbly bits without it collapsing.
Dry the clay - patience is key. Depending on the environment the work is in it could take weeks to dry thoroughly. Porcelain is a tricky mistress and will crack if dried too quickly. This is also the stage where the piece gets a good inspection. If I think I can do better or maybe the clay has cracked slightly on drying I will recycle the clay and use it for another project.
Bisque fire the clay - this turns the clay into ceramic and there’s no going back from here. And it gets HOT (about 1000ºC).
Glaze the pot - I mix my own glazes up from raw materials, so I know exactly what goes into each glaze. I have my glazes in big buckets and will dip the entire pot into the gloopy liquid to give it an even coat. At the moment, my work is about the feel of the raised slip-trailing and the purity of the soft white porcelain, so I’m currently dipping into a bucket of clear glaze. It gives the piece a glossy finish that is extremely hard-wearing. I love it’s simplicity.
Glaze-fire the pot - the final transformation. It gets even HOTTER (about 1260ºC) and then I’m waiting for the kiln to cool. Making pottery teaches you patience - grrrr.
Inspect the finished piece - was it everything I hoped for? I think every potter has a tendency to be self-critical. To some extent it’s good to set yourself high standards, especially if the work is to be sold, or maybe we should say re-homed in exchange for some pennies to buy more clay so I can start all over again. Hooray!
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