Pottery Wheel and Painting

We showed up at Claywerks and she showed the kids their pinch pots, completed after their final firing. Then she said they needed to paint their coil pots. Kids and I were not happy. We had planned to do all the painting/glazing at the end, paying for one full day in the studio where they could finish it all. She appeared to be cutting corners as if she didn't want to get the clay out. Two still needed to do figurines and all of them still needed to throw pots on the wheel. I told the kids they needed to paint their coil pots as quickly as possible. THEN she brought out their slab pots, which still had not been fired. They were still green ware. She told them they could paint those using a different glaze. Ethan was too nervous to paint his, as his was pretty precarious as it was and she had already repaired it between our visits, as it had fallen apart already, but would be more stable after firing.

This is Ethan's coil pot. A dragon ... of course.

Evyn's slab pot, which he's being very gentle with as it's green ware, will be a pencil box when completed.
Ian's slab pot was a mouse and cheese figurine and container.
Amber is working on her slab pot, which was a butter dish.
Their completed coil pots.
Amber finally got a turn at the wheel. She seemed to be a bit of a natural at it. I don't know how much the teacher actually spent with her and the completed pot.
Done!
Ethan was on his second time trying to produce something, and Ian was just beginning.
Evyn was working on his figurine. He was making a solid item, and the teacher didn't want him to do that. She wanted it hollow on the inside. Of course, she didn't tell him that.
Ethan's second bowl.
Done (some help from the teacher!).
Ian was doing a great job. I thought it was going to be a cup, but he ended up with a very nice bowl.
Evyn making final touches on his figurine.

Pinch Pots at Claywerks

Last October we bought four Groupons for Claywerks, knowing the boys had a Pottery Merit Badge for Boy Scouts. We finally had a chance to call and set up the dates to work at the studio. So, now, for the next four Tuesdays, we'll be at Claywerks in Bremerton from 11:30-1:30. The woman used their worksheets for the beginning part of the class and gave a fantastic talk about pottery, types of clays, how to tell the difference in them, glazes, firing, kilns, wheels, scoring and attaching clay, and much more. I wasn't allowed to stay in the back area with the kids, so I sat in the front part of the studio, eavesdropping, sneaking in now and then to take photos. Here she has given them each a chunk of clay and they have beaten it on the table to get the air bubbles out. They are about to embark on the makings of their own pinch pots.
Ian was very meticulous with his pot, making sure the walls all around were of an even thickness.
The owner of Claywerks helped Evyn out as he had some thin spots and she showed him out to re-pinch and move the clay around some more to make the walls even.
Amber is using one of the tools she handed out, a wooden kitchen spatula. Wooden spoons and spatulas were the preferred tools of the afternoon. They are used to tap out the clay against your hand, which is on the inside of the pot, to ensure an even thickness around.
Ethan is using a wooden spoon and tapping out the sides of his pinch pot.
Another tool is used for smoothing out the inside of the pot.
Ethan also smooths out his pot.
The owner helps Amber with the inside of her pot. Amber's pot, if you notice, has a flange off the top. She made hers differently from the boys.
Next they were shown how to do handles. Ethan and Evyn wanted handles on their noodle bowls, as that was what they decided to make. The owner assisted Amber in putting one on top of her pot and it became a basket.
This is Evyn's completed noodle bowl. He even has a lip (right side next to his thumb) to rest his spoon. A very unique design element he thought of all on his own.
Ian has a little critter poking its head out of his cup (or is it a bowl?). The owner helped him craft the little frog. He is signing his piece of artwork.

Next week they will be able to go back and put finishing touches on their pots. She told Ian he would be able to manipulate and work with his little frog a bit more if he desired. Their homework? To look up various types of coil pots ... guess what they get to make next week?