As a teacher in the art classroom I needed to teach many different things. The painting and the drawing are fun for me and I really did like teaching pottery. This pot was a demonstration pot that I created on the potter's wheel. It has red and white clay blended together and then was centered on the wheel. Creating a bowl in the usual manner allowed the two colors of clay to show up in the piece. Glazing it with clear glaze allows everyone to see the natural colors of the clay.
I am glad my wife enjoys seeing my pottery pieces as they are all over the house. Most of them are catch alls for pens and pencils or for loose items that need to be kept. Two of the items in this photo are hand built, using the coil method.
There are many good potters out there who all have each their own style. I admire a lot of different artist and try to collect mugs from some of them to help support them. I would never dream of joining them to try to make money from the skill. I actually think there are too many potters out there that the public is numb to see good or bad clay work. I can see them walking by the booths without any interest at all.
The reason that I bring the whole subject to your attention is that this morning my janitor friends delivered an old potter's wheel to my house. It was the one that I purchased with school money in 1976 when I first started teaching at this school. Being that the wheel is 36 years old and is big and needs repair the art teacher wanted it out of her room. I now have it.
It is a sit down type of wheel with a large kick wheel at its base with a motor contraption to power it. It is so large that it really is dangerous for the students to crawl onto and then kick, getting their foot caught in it. It works just fine for an adult or responsible student except all of the electrical switches and motor with drive shaft need to be replace. I considered it a liability in my later years teaching there and refused to let any students on it. I would pile paper and clay boxes on it to keep them off of it.
It was given to me today. I already have a kiln in storage in the garden shed and someday I will be back into business, creating with clay. At my age and with the understanding of the market, my goal will be to make finely designed shaped pottery with minimal glazing. I don't see in the future when this will even happen but I do now have a wheel.
Thanks for stopping by my post today.
5 comments:
Oh how very interesting. I love pottery. Near Clarkesville GA is an old mill converted to a store for potters to sell/demonstrate, called Mark Of The Potter. John and I recently bought a pretty pottery candle holder at a thrift store.
excellent - i left a stainless steel kick-wheel when i left teaching art. So glad you got yours.
These are fabulous, Larry!
Larry, hope that once your fully retire, you will get to realize your hope to return to pottery. The pots look great and I was wondering if you could put plants in them as well as the odd bits of change and penciles.
Oh I would love to learn how to throw pots..art class in the Minnesota school I attended was pretty boring. I hope it is a project you undertake again someday Larry:)
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