Idaho Potter

I learned the hard way that outdoor ceramics need to be fired to at least cone 4 to survive harsh winters--and definitely glazed or taken indoors before the first hard frost. Kudos on the gargoyle at the front door. Style points! Shirley

I concerned about you using household drains to cleanup studio messes. The sedimentary residue from clay, glaze, and other stuff will eventually block your drains and could cost you a lot of money to repair. That stuff sets up like concrete. Cink's are expensive. However, you can make something similar using laundry tubs with standpipes under your stainless sink. I've been using mine for over thirty years, never had plumbing problems, and when I moved to Boise, brought the whole thing with me and set it up in my new studio nine years ago. I use twin tubs, so once a year, I bail out water from one side--let it go dry, and scoop out the sediment into the trash. Then I do the other side. If you are interested, I could probably come up with some drawings. Basically it is based on a deep sink with a standpipe that was designed for cleaning up plaster from molds, etc. Works like a charm, and cost is low--laundry tubs, some PVC pipes, and enough room under the tubs for a P-trap. (my stainless sink is set high, and I cut the legs off the tubs to lower them but keep space for the P-trap) Shirley

Kohaku, I use Coleman raku (firing range 06 to 10) and it is fine grained. (It's from Clay Art Center) It also is endurable during the kiln to smoke pot, I don't do much by way of carving, but think this would work well if you are sticking to raku firing. Your work is so beautiful, I'm kind of with Chris--try another firing technique. If it's the luster quality in raku that attracts you, a second firing and you can have your lusters on a well vitrified clay. B-mix without grog is smooth as butter and carves very well. Shirley

Several years ago I was teaching a class of 10 to 14 year old girls. Three of ten were lefties. It turned out to be easier for me to learn left hand throwing (clockwise) than to burden them with changing their dominate hand. Worked out well for all four of us. The second round of classes I explained why we in America work counter-clockwise, and because of classes and workshops later in life it would be wise to learn both ways. One girl was so promising at ten years of age, I figure she'll be studying in Japan, Korea, or China someday and won't have problems adjusting to eastern methods. I will still occasionally work the other way as it seems to relieve some of my back problems--maybe just the fact that I'm leaning and stretching the muscles on the other side. Shirley

Happypots, I, like you, have given "private lessons" to adults, with a different take, however. If the student wants to learn ceramics, they start with handbuilding and work their way up. I remind them that getting work fired by someone else (other than in my studio) isn't all that easy. Most places feel more comfortable knowing the student has at least the fundamental basics under their belt. And I try to convince them that the first piece of equipment they need to buy is a kiln--not a wheel. I have also had students who only wanted to learn wheel throwing techniques. My classes are three hours long (reality check--set up and clean up equal approx. 1/2 hour which is one-third of your alloted class time) plus the student can practice on their own for three hours a week as well. The classes (and the practice time) run for six weeks--no extensions. This is still only 36 hours total (providing they are motivated enough to practice). There are restrictions during class time. They do assigned work--cylinders, bowls, bigger cylinders, shaped cylinders, bigger bowls. If they practice, they can experiment as much as they like, but when they come back to class they do assigned work. Someone who took pottery in high school will advance more rapidly, but tossing a total newbie into wheel throwing without that background is a disservice to your student. They need structure until they master centering, opening and repeated attempts at drawing up the clay into a viable form. Just as an untrained horse doesn't know what to do with that bit in their mouth, the newbie needs gentle, steady reinforcement so trust and confidence can grow. Rethink your method and maybe the time set aside for classes. When that student actually draws up a slightly wobbly cylinder and it doesn't collapse--their smile will light the whole studio. Once they feel they can throw well, I put more stumbling blocks in their way. They are expected to weigh the clay and make three whatevers of the same size and shape. No, I don't expect the outcome will be exact, but it is something that is important to working with pottery. They are also expected to draw what they intend to produce. No fancy drawing, jut a line drawing showing dimension measurements. These are not "rules" for teaching, they're my methods. I think they need goals--even if I have to set them. If you are giving group lessons, invite your student in to see the progress of others (or maybe drop in to the community center to take a peek).

No way a penny could make that much material--not enough to start with. The stuff coming out of the glazed bowl looks like mild rebar (the thinner stuff you can form with your hands) coated with glaze. Something fishy going on.