Pot Head

I think I have got to that stage in my life where I start saying, 'If I could have my time over again...'. Well, the more I make pots the more I believe I would love to have devoted a big chunk of my younger life to truly learning this craft. There is so much to understand, practice and explore that it really is quite mind blowing and I wish I had the energy of a much younger me to do it all! Still I am very grateful for the opportunity to go back to it now and remember what a joy it is. 

Here's three general purpose little pots I made a few weeks ago. I don't know the names of the glazes because the class I was at then didn't give that sort of info on them, but they are very pretty and I love the way the colours have mixed and broken.

 

Pottering About

A very long time ago (well, 35 years to be exact) I did a couple of part-time courses in ceramics and fell in love with wheel thrown pottery. There is something addicting and magical about coaxing a form from a lump of clay, using just your hands, water and centrifugal force to turn mud into a bowl or a jug or a plate.

Over the intervening years I've often thought about going back to it but never have. Then a few weeks ago I was given the most marvellous birthday present: 3 hours a week of wheel time at my local FE college for a whole eight weeks!

I went back to it excited, but a little fearful. What if I didn't enjoy it any more and had lost interest, or, worse still, what if I just couldn't do it? Was it like riding a bike and I would still have the body memory to enable me to get back into the swing quite quickly, or would I have forgotten everything I ever knew about how to throw? 

Well yes, I did still love it, and no, I hadn't forgotten everything. Rusty, out of practice and lacking some of the arm and hand strength I once had, I discovered I could still produce things which pleased me and which will be used around the home. And here they are; timely little reminders to do what you love and follow your heart.