Throwing Big and Other Challenges

Too bad I will be missing Fredi's class this weekend, due to the Sun Run.  So I'm so glad I have Jay's class to keep me going...  This past week I trimmed and decorated a few pieces from the prior week, and then threw 4 more pieces.

After decorating that sphere last week with the scented geranium leaves, I had the great idea to make a geranium decorated vase for my friend Beth, who gave me that beautiful scented geranium, which I have been enjoying all winter on my windowsill.  She is a wonderful and creative person, and I think she will really enjoy this surprise.

I got to talking with a classmate about double-walled vessels again.  I had that one from last week, which was sort of plain, and didn't suit itself well to carving the outside wall, so I shaped the rim into a floral shape.  I'm really pleased with the result (top vessel, photo below).

I decided to throw another one (bottom vessel, photo above), this time trying to make the outside wall rounder, and the inside straighter, so I could carve the outer wall.  Funny, but I ended up with almost the same shape again.  Not suitable for carving, and too ordinary on its own.  So I shaped that rim also :

The challenge Jay gave us in class was to throw a vessel bigger than we have ever thrown before, and then throw a second similar one with no bottom, which will be combined with the first one, and then we'll throw a coil on top.  So we'll end up with something roughly 2.5 or 3 times as tall as we can throw.

I was pretty impressed that I was able to throw a pretty nice pot from 3200 g (7 lb) of clay.  I don't remember that I've thrown more than 5 lbs previously.  And this one is certainly larger, as I am throwing much thinner now.  The rim was a diameter of 8".  Here are the two pots :

I was trying for a rounder shape, not so cylindrical, but I'm still pleased, and can't wait to see the monster vessel I will get when I combine them and throw a neck on top.  Of course, Jay threw probably 15 lbs for each pot, but that's just something for me to marvel at, and to aspire to one day, but I am really pleased with my pots, and the possibilities this method provides.

Before I packed it in, I ended up throwing a beautifully shaped egg, which I suspect will hatch one of these days.  More photos to come, I'm sure.