Captain Cartwheel

Every Thursday night since January 14th, I've been taking a pottery class at Fired Up Studios in Minneapolis.  I first attempted throwing in high school (and loved it!) and again in college taking a class out of my major.  I broke my thumb a few weeks into the semester - second year in a row I broke the same thumb by the way.  Thanks to the injury I had to finish the class a separate semester - which really meant I was able to sleep in Tues. & Thurs. for that semester & then spend many long hours in the studio on weekends another semester.  Do you think I could type semester any more times in this paragraph?  Oh, it also meant that I had to make my 10 teapots without the direction of the art professor who intimidated the hell out of me.  Semester. I freaking hated making teapots! Semester.

Anywhoozle, that's neither here nor there now is it.  Back to current day, I'm taking a pottery class*.  I figured it would be like riding a bicycle, I'd just pick up where I left off...the minor detail being that I tend to crash don't I?  So perhaps that wasn't the best analogy going into class, or perhaps it was a proper self-fulfilling prophecy. 

I didn't get anything off the wheel the first class.  The second class went a smidge better, and I made two relatively small bowls - i.e. really small bowls after firing them.  The third class I decided my real forte is in making clay shot glasses - i.e. really, really small bowls with slightly higher walls.  Steve, the instructor, has been patient with me, and occasionally mentions what a nice sake cup I have made...that sounds more classy than a shot glass no?  But let's be honest here, I make shot glasses, because I'm apparently a 15 year old male. 

Last night Steve asked me what I planned to make.  I had been considering this on the drive over, what I really wanted to make was a BIG bowl, one that could hold food (not just alcohol) and be passed around the family dinner table with guests throwing out compliments like "OH MY!  Where did you get this amazingly gorgeous and totally functional LARGE bowl?"  As I started to say 'Bow..." I could see him wanting to strangle me, even with his enduring patience I am guessing I would have had finger marks around my neck, so I quickly corrected and finished "I want to make a BIG bowl, like that ---> over there!"  Whew.  Crisis averted,neck intact.

Truth be told I really wanted to glaze and not throw because I was really feeling down about my throwing skills (or lack there of); but as I only have a few weeks left and had, as of yet, failed in my ultimate goal of making something I could give as a wedding present, I knew I had to make something new.  The goal is give pieces without feeling like I am giving the couple my unusable and terribly ugly lackluster creations.  I wanted to make presents that even if they are ugly they are functional.  So I manned up and threw down - as the saying goes...I am not a man nor can I actually throw pottery while throwing in a downward motion, just saying.   

It took me for-EV-ER to center the huge hunk-o-clay, even with Steve helping me.  I was starting to think I would have another small bowl when I was done because of all the clay coming off during the centering process.  But alas it was centered.  Whew!
 
Halfway through the process, right before I was to actually 'throw' he stopped me, 'Now you need to ask yourself, what will this piece be? Will it be more like a salad bowl or a mixing bowl?' he asked. He knows me well enough that he quickly followed up with, "And my heart will hurt if you say I don't know."

Hmmm.  I looked at the bowl, tilted my head in consideration and said, "Well, I'd like it to be a salad bowl, but if it's a salad bowl with mixing bowl tendencies I would be OK with it."  I don't want to force my preconceived judgments upon ye young lump-o-clay afterall.

To his credit he at least laughed.  He slowly -and I do mean slowly- walked me through the entire process, gave hints and suggestions, demonstrated the proper techniques, watched as I flubbed said techniques up and then gave more suggestions.  In the end I had a well-thrown salad bowl! 

With an hour left in the class and one amazingly, awesome, tremendous bowl - that I could still mess up while trimming, but will really, really try not to(!) - I was ready to stop and glaze; but with Steve's encouragement I gave it another go, on my own this time, and made a pretty decent mixing bowl.  Rock on!
 

*Major thank you to my parents for the awesome birthday gift of pottery class!  This earns you at least one misshapen bowl (maybe two).  LUCKY YOU!!