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?
