Hip to be square

So, I got tired of making bowls. Bowls, bowls, bowls. Yes, I understand that practice is good. Yes, the practice has improved my technique, speed and success rate, but after so many bowls, I needed something different. Yet, I was having the type of day where I wanted to have a high likelihood of a successful throw. What's a tangible-product-oriented girl to do? Make her own squared off bowls!


It is sooooo hip to be square! OK, I have to admit. I did not come up with this on my own. I saw it in a pottery book I checked out from our local library. So, I gave it a whirl and produced two small-ish square bowls. Feeling pretty cocky from that successful experiment, I tried my hand at something else . . . . Throwing plates using the 'correct' technique (versus the clay-is-to-weak-to-go-up-in-a-cylinder-might-as-well-push-the-walls-flat-and-make-a-plate mistakes of the past couple of weeks). Potter's note: It ain't as easy as it looks. I ruined two good lumps of clay by making my bottom too thin.

Well, as the above picture demonstrates, it was a freaking home run experiment! By the end of my pottery session I had two small plates (one saucer and one salad plate size) and two mid-size (small dinner size) plates.

P.S. I had my 'glazing' lesson this past Saturday. Hope to have pictures of a few 'finished' products later this week!