Janet Kaiser on wed 11 jul 01
Last time we visited David and Margaret Frith, David
was throwing the second half of a very large vase. He
had thrown the bottom half the previous day and was
adding the top half when we arrived.
He was doing the usual: First throw bottom and leave to
harden up overnight. Throw top and add onto bottom,
giving a final pull up from the join once you are sure
it is well attached. This was with about 40 lb. clay
(total) and at least three feet finished height. I did
not feel the clay, but it looked softish but not in the
least sticky. Of course David is pretty tall, so not a
problem for him. Although only working the top half,
even a smaller person could cope by just standing on a
crate?
Of course you have to know what shape the finished
vessel will be before you start and I could never quite
get it right, although I would keep trying. I was not
good enough as a thrower to get the bottom done and the
top separately the next day, even with the aid of
callipers and designs/drawings. Always looked wrong or
unbalanced. Not to mention the join, which usually
bulged. Not proficient enough, like many larger coiled
pots I see, when I can tell where work stopped and then
restarted later.
Eckhard had never seen a two part pot thrown before, so
he was fascinated watching David...
It just made me green with envy...! :-)
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
> So, soft clay, what does this do to the ability to
throw large pieces? Can
> the clay stand? I threw twenty five pounds yesterday
that was quite stiff
> and I'm hurting today. Being quite small I'd like a
solution to a half hour
> of centering and coning but still throwing large.
That and not having to
> stand on my tippy toes to reach to bottom (I may have
to live with this
> one). chris
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