Thursday, December 4, 2008

Deadline: 18th Dec

That is the last date for glaze-firing.

And these are all the pots that I have which are ready for glazing:


Now all I need are:
1. Glazing ideas
2. Courage
3. A miracle, or a bit of luck (Just a bit, I am not too greedy)

***

In retrospect, I did get some inspiration on glazing today. While at the studio, one of the experienced potters was collecting her pots - a vase, two very pretty bowls with lids, and a mug. And ALL of them have wonderful glaze combinations, which she kindly shared with us:

1. Periwinkle and Black
2. Ohata and Nutmeg

The other two consists of one of the green glazes (maybe pine green?) and something blue... I guess I will have to figure that out myself... Note to self: Write down the glazes that I use for each pot. My memory is no longer reliable.

***

Didn't have a productive day at pottery today though. Killed a bowl while trimming it. So I decided to throw another bowl to make up for it. I wedged up 2lb of clay and tried to center it on the wheel. I must have tried for about 20 mins, and I probably lost 1lb of clay in the process, before I gave up and just went on to make the well and pull up the walls. But of course, uncentered clay is bound to fail, which was exactly what happened -- the walls collapsed.

But I didn't want to give up, and tried again with another 2lb of clay. Another 20 mins of centering passed, and I was getting tired. (The clay I was using today is a bit harder than what I am used to.) Not to mentioned a little bit fed up. It didn't make sense to me that what I could do yesterday, I cannot do today. Anyways, I just went ahead (again) to pull up my walls using uncentered clay, and obviously things didn't work out, and I ended up with a lump of clay again.

While trying to center my third (and last) ball of clay, the guy who is in charge of the building, P, came into the studio. He usually visits and chit-chats with the potters here. Nice uncle. He stopped in front of my wheel, and asked, "So what are you making today?"

I peered at my bag full of the scraps of clay from the last two attempts. "Looks to me like crap..."

He laughed. And I explained that I was trying to make a bowl, but I don't think it is going to happen, and I am getting tired, and I need my dinner (8pm, cold, snowing outside). A fellow potter (amazing-guy-who-made-20-bowls-for-Christmas-presents) overheard and said "Yeah, it is one of those days huh." He said that he has days like that too, and if he gets tired, he will stop throwing, coz it won't be enjoyable anymore.

And that was when I decided I should just throw in the towel for the day.

I haven't figured out when I need to be determined, and when I should stop hitting my head against the wall. Need to learn that.




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