Playing in the Clay

I probably have more hobbies than anybody I know. This blog will be part "how to", part experiencing my hobbies with me vicariously, and part pep talk to get people excited about getting out there and picking up my hobbies. This is my first time to blog. I've never even read a blog before. I spend ALL of extra time playing with my hobbies, and we will start with "playing in the clay".

The most common questions I get asked are "Do you own a kiln?" NO way! "Do you own a potter's wheel?" NO! I go down to the local community college and take a continuing education course. I've been taking the same course for four years. For the cost of the tuition, $120 per semester, I get the use of the kiln, the glazes, the wheels, and any input from the instructor I might want. All I buy is the clay and my hand tools.

How did I get started? I started in a high school art class when I was fourteen, but most of my peers started later in life. I quit after college, but picked it up again in my forties. It was like riding a bike. I picked up right where I left off with all my bad habits. "Throwing pots" on a wheel can be the most frustrating hobby in the world. One has to be able to center the clay and keep it that way. But I'm not a perfectionist. I would say 80% of my pots are a little bit off. I've learned to work around it. Nobody is going to get out their ruler and check to see that the rim of your pot is 1/16 of an inch wider on one side than the other side. If you hate throwing after trying it for two months, try handbuilding. Most colleges start you out with handbuilding anyway.

This year has been the year of the casserole dish. Most of my lids are fitting well, and now I am adding all kinds of textures such as sodium silicate (looks like scales) and circular stamps. I thought using them together would be too "busy" but actually it looks great! I'm using stains under the glazes to bring out the textures as much as possible. All of my toys (tools) I find at http://www.sheffield-pottery.com/ or Trinity Ceramic Supply. Last year was the year of the teapot, the year before that spice jar and lamp base, the year before that was the year of the coffee cup and the bowl. It's not that I don't throw other stuff, but I concentrate on that one item more than the others. In October I start taking an overglaze class (China painting.) I will cover it on the blog when I get there.

You can make a little money at this. What kind of prices do I charge? I'd say $35 for a nice casserole dish, $10 - $15 for a coffee cup, $20 for a spice jar. I sold a chess set for $100 once. Basically whatever the market will bear. But here's where I really get a kick: giving them away as gifts. If somebody is having a house warming party, I grab a bowl and throw it in a gift bag and head out the door. Corporate presents? (Yes, I'm a corporate slave.) Nothing goes over better than a homemade gift. Every time that client pours coffee she sees YOUR cup. Need to buy some love from that co-worker that can make or break you? Try a teapot. No more passive aggression. I keep my favorite stuff for myself. Every surface in my house is covered with pottery. The soup and coffee we drink is served in something I made. I never get bored with it.

Pottery started out as my greatest therapy and is still my greatest therapy. When I was fourteen, my sister (17) had ulcerative colitis. She was in the hospital week after week going through surgery, and my parents had to, of course, be with her. Fortunately, my freshman art teacher was a caring person and wanted to be there for me. She'd pick me up at the house on Saturdays and drive me to the high school where we would spend the day on the potters wheel. Through her example, I learned that hobbies can be a wonderful creative outlet for my emotions.

Next week we get into my next hobby: Piano.

Hobby Lady