Julie Milazzo on fri 30 aug 02
Hmmm... since we're all contributing centering
techniques, I've got one that allows me to (fairly)
easily center thirty five pounds of clay. I'm five
feet tall (and planning on shrinking, if my sicilian
genes play a role in aging), and am pretty small, but
this is quite easy.
First, I take a bag of clay, open it up, and slam
it around a bit. Sometimes I wedge it, sometimes I
don't, but I always slam it down on the wedging table
to wake it up, and round out the corners. I slam it
down onto the wheelhead, then spin the wheel slowly as
I slap it to make it round and close to the center.
Then I grab another fifteen or so pounds from another
bag, and slam that around. I slam blob two onto blob
one, and clap the whole thing until it is relatively
in the middle.
Next, I add water to the top, place my left elbow
in left hip, and push the clay with my left palm. At
the same time, I put my right hand on the back of the
lump, and pull it toward me. I begin at the bottom,
and spin fairly quickly, as I hold my hands still.
Very still. They don't move until the bottom three or
so inches are perfectly centered.
Then, I gently remove them from the clay, and
replace them a little bit higher, until that is
centeres. I don't cone, stroke, rub or anything. I
just hold the positions. After a few times going from
bottom to top, it's centered, and ready for whatever
it is you do with thirty five pounds. I like the
push/pull method. It doesn't seem like such a
one-sided battle that way. Happy potting1 jules
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