Dave Finkelnburg on tue 27 feb 01
Hi all!
I sent a note to Joyce Lee, who,as usual, bless her heart, encouraged me
to post to the list.
I am a genuine "tight" thrower. You know, throwing rings so close
together you can't tell one from another....well, you get the picture.
As Mel says, it's my personality.
I am trying to throw more loosely. In drawing class, I was encouraged
to use contour drawing as a way to loosen up. Is there something like this
for potters, a "contour throwing" exercise?
Here's what I am doing to help myself right now. Knowing I especially
throw too tight with porcelain, I have found I throw stoneware more loosely.
That tells me some clay bodies are easier to throw loosely, so for starters,
I have looked to my clay.
I have also been working on fundamentals. Reasonably perfect cylinders
let me then loosen up on the form. If the cylinder wobbles, I have to work
very hard to keep everything in line.
When I am practicing, I sometimes try three pulls, no more, then pitch
it. I have been concentrating more on how I throw, less on what I throw.
You know, throw for practice rather than to make something. If I focus too
much on the finished piece I don't develop. I get looser pieces when I
don't burden myself with thinking I have to finish anything.
I have found that if I throw with firm to hard clay, I really struggle
and have to concentrate fiercely to keep things going well. If I throw
softer clay it is much easier for me to loosen up. Of course, I can't throw
18-inch cylinders with the soft clay, but I can't have everything!
I hope these thoughts give you some ideas!
Good potting!
Dave Finkelnburg, glazing a couple bowls today for the Empty Bowls
event in Charlotte
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