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Should I Start Pottery Or Not? Advice Please.....


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I take classes at a local community studio once a week. In addition, they have open studio time that I go to VERY often. If you can find some kind of setup like this, I would HIGHLY recommend it, it's the next best thing to having your own studio. You can go there (almost) anytime, plenty of wheels or places to handbuild, tons of glazes, and lots and lots of very experienced potters who are MORE than willing to help you out with anything you might have a question about or a problem with. I love my studio and I will NEVER leave it! I don't need my own equipment!!! - Cindy

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Go for it!  About 40 years ago a very dear friend introduced me to clay, but at the time, like you I had small children and just could not justify the time.  Fortunately, my children had art classes in their local schools and produced charming clay art masterpieces that I treasure to this day.  After I retired I took pottery classes and now enjoy giving them my best pots, some glazed and some bisque fired.  We spent the past weekend underglazing.  I can't wait to glaze Laura's "Koi Pond Bowl" and Sara's "Caught red-handed ABC dish" (she has a two year old).  So DO expose your children to clay and they will reward you and You'll have a Ball, promise!

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Brad. Good luck with the classes. I'm glad you decided to enroll and take it one step at a time to see which area of ceramics suits you. Then you'll know what sort of equipment you might want to buy, if any, and how much time you'll have with your new hobby. Does the studio have open studio time you can take advantage of in addition to the classes? Keep us posted.

 

Paul

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I wish that I had taken up woodwork instead. Too many losses in the kiln and the battle against crazing is something I have yet to win.

 

I think this is a 'the grass is always greener" kind of situation :) clean up after pottery is much easier, it's cheaper to get into (probably) and you lose concentration you lose a pot not your finger(s). But no worrying about firing with the wood (apart from the stuff-ups, into the fireplace)!

 

Brad- if you want to try pottery, do. If you don't have a hobby that cost too much money, you need a new hobby! Just rationalise your time.

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Take a couple of classes. Don't buy any equipment. Just use the studio equipment. Your output at the beginning won't require your own wheel or kiln. You have a lot to learn, so take advantage of a community studio or college classes if you can. We see lots of people who began their love of pottery when their kids were young, then came back to it when the kids grew up. Just take it a little at a time.

Don't expect to create the 12 piece dinner set for awhile, either. Work on your forms and your craftsmanship. You don't need to keep every ugly thing and you don't have to "save" every off center piece that is flopping. You will learn more from pushing the limits and evaluating your mistakes than from being timid because you don't want to "ruin" a piece.

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@ PRankin......not sure if they have open studio..I can't tell from their website...I'm taking classes at Sudio S Pottery (Lewis & Eric Snyder) in Murfreesboro, TN.

 

@tch.....yes, I already have a hobby which is playing the mandolin. Doing both hobbies will be a challenge, but I'll try to make it work:)

 

@earthfan.....I've thought about woodworking too, but decided to go with pottery.

 

THanks again for everyone's responses. This is a nice place:)

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