Playing Favorites

I answered several interview questions this week for a future article in a local magazine. The queries were interesting, insightful, and thought-provoking. I’m still thinking about one of the questions in particular – “Describe your favorite piece or one that stands out in particular.”

I’ve created a lot of pottery over the years and when I thought about answering this question, I had a hard time choosing one favorite. I tend to fall in love with the piece of pottery I am making at the moment. Even if I’ve made the shape in the past or over and over in a series, each one I develop holds its own value and personality for me. An advantage of having a home studio is the ability to nurture each stage of the creative process any time of day or night. I admit that I sometimes visit the studio just to admire and drink in what has been created that day or week. 

Of course, there are certain pots I’ve made that signify key developmental stages in my clay journey. The first large (heavy) platter I successfully threw on the wheel is still pulled out to serve food at a large gathering; a succession of bowls in various sizes I use while cooking on a daily basis; and a variety of hand-built containers I created as I learned new methods of shaping clay all stand out in my mind.

I answered the reporter’s question in a similar way. I mentioned how significant each piece I create is to me. And, I chose to describe one of the driftwood basket series I first made when we lived in Hilton Head, SC. I’d long thought about the idea of combining my love of knitting and clay. Initially, I’d wanted to somehow embellish the edge of a pot with stitched wire. But that’s how the creative process goes. I start off with a picture of one thing in my mind and as it evolves, it transforms into an even better idea. The driftwood baskets fit neatly into purchased wrought iron stands, incorporate collected driftwood from daily walks on the beach, and satisfied my desire to add a stitched element with a crocheted leather cord along the edge. 

This particular basket is destined to raise money for a charity called Village of Promise during a show I'm doing in Huntsville, Alabama in about a month. Want to bid on it and contribute to this wonderful cause? Click on the photo and send me a message and I'll get you in on the bidding!

Do you have a favorite ClayByLaura piece? I’d like to hear about it and tell me why! Click here to let me know!.

Something Old, Something New...

A production potter has mastered the art of recreating the same piece consistently on a large scale, often using a potter’s wheel. One of the reasons I create a pattern for a finished pot I like is so I can make it again (and again) using clay hand-building techniques.  As much as I value the routine and comfort of making a familiar shape over and over in the studio, I also enjoy a good creative challenge.

I really like the process of figuring out how to make something I’ve never created before. It usually starts with an idea and a picture in my head. I know ahead of time what I want the finished piece to look like. Sometimes I’ll sketch it out (mostly so I don’t forget).

One of the challenges of this piece happens when it dries. I've learned to support the length of the tray during the early drying process with a piece of styrofoam so it doesn't bow in the middle. 

Trial and error is part of the process. I allow myself time to fail because this will happen. I assess the shapes that need to be pieced together to make a final whole. Lots of times, I just start cutting apart clay and shaping. As I close in on success, I take note of the shapes, tools, and process I used to achieve the final result.  I make a pattern with cut-up manila folders. 

Once I've created a pattern and a sample of the finished piece has made it successfully through all the stages of the kiln-firing process, I know I can recreate it when I want to. It's how I achieve quality control and the ability to produce multiples of the same shape over and over again. 

Here's another new project in the works. I'm in the homestretch of completing a series of tiled totem posts for a local school. Each young child in the school (and several teachers and parents) decorated a pre-made tile with underglaze. I will apply a clear glaze over their artwork and fire them in my kiln this week. Once the tiles are ready, I'll adhere them to the posts we erected at the front entry of the school. This has been a fantastic project. It's one more example of working on a new and different project!

When a new shape I make is one my customers like to purchase, it then becomes 'something old.' And luckily for me, there always seems to be 'something new' to create waiting in the wings! Got an idea for me? Click here to tell me about it!