Hulk

Harper Lee's the best!
One book, done, can' top it, ok.

A few months ago I posted some WIP photos of clock designs that I was experimenting with. Here’s how they are turning out:

 

Added a split A/C heat pump over the summer and it is perfect. Cost about 3 grand when all said and done. Got the DIY model (more expensive) and paid a relative a few hundred to help me and had to pay an electrician a few hundred to hook up but is just like central and works great in hot or cold.
In Texas the cold part is most important. I just say that its going to be 77 tomorrow and 79 on Friday  and high was 40 a week ago for several days so the weather can be all over the place around here this time of year.

I am currently just making some personal holiday giftees. Pics are my view out the studio windows after it snows! (Landlord's construction yard, sitting below a ridge-lovely.)
 

Good question! ...ah don't know yet, still learning. 
A few weeks in, centering clay started to get easier; some semblance of control started to come (and go) months later.
Along the way commitment to preppin' that clay settled in, and it occurred to me there may be a reason why about half o'th'lumps behave better - 50/50 chance on which way the lump is turned up? For sure a slightly dry side, a bubble, a streak of harder/softer clay - any inconsistency - be causin' problems. Too soft and not soft enough can be frustrating as well. Back to the 50/50, I've been experimenting with fellow students at the JC (the ones really struggling); I'll offer to wedge up some clay, which I turn up left side for counterclockwise throwers (right side for me and the leftists), then ask later on how that worked out. Each and every one had a better experience. Hmmm, wedge? Pay attention to which way the clay swirls? What say you all? When we touch the spinning clay, it drags, causing the clay to swirl/spin, yes?
Any road, still later on, further commitment to prep, in coning up and down at least three times, gettin' that clay centered up such that there's no perceptible runout - none. From there, consistent (if slow) progress...
Still later, finally realize that clay remembers everything! e.g. when coning, particularly up, rushing a bit causes the clay to shear - those shear lines bite back soon enough. From there, a few little light bulbs lit up!
...'bout eight months in now, working on repeat work; not that I particularly want to do production - I do want the develop the skill, and there's some improvement lately, however, long way to go.
All that said, keep at it, don't give up, practice, practice, and there isn't one right way - find what works for you, e.g., I'm right handed, but turn clockwise; I have problems with fine control in my right hand between about bellybutton to forehead, so left hand support/help is needed for trimming and centering, etc.; I've no feeling on outside half of right middle finger, which I keep forgetting, haha

I used to tell my students “if it works for you, it’s not wrong.”
My “bad habit” is to skip foot rings on all pots that I am producing in high volumes. Foot rings are very time consuming. I still like to trim them on things I make in lower volumes. But for mugs and small bowls, no way!
I’ve heard potters say dogmatic things like “all good pots have foot rings,” but I'm like “nah.”

Put a space heater in the shed overnight and things firmed up enough to trim for the most part.  Got 8 of them trimmed up, probably gonna toss a few where the lids weren't quite matched up.
Tomorrow I'll be wedging and throwing, don't know what yet, something will strike me!

I avoid juried groups and exhibits and try not to succumb to doing local art shows. It's just not for me. I was exposed to the "art scene" in NYC and VA and there is nothing about the whole milieu that I care for, especially the lifestyle that can come with it in some places, if one gets caught up in that. 
The most valuable learning I got from  my formal education (a state school) in ceramics was being taught the necessity and practice of critical thinking, and vetting for myself any assertions before buying into something, (like the mass mis-perception that Picasso is a great and revolutionary artist-sorry, couldn't resist). The first time I heard an excellent art history presentation on what was beyond the surface in a 15th century painting, where the fly on the pretty piece of fruit was actually a socio-economic commentary on the deterioration of the culture at the time, I realized that art is often about more than "what you see is what you get " or what I like or don't like--that formal education about art--making it, understanding it,  and appreciating it--is important.  
When I learned how to center and throw, I also learned about the great potters throughout the centuries, and clay artists working with non-functional objects.  This was amazing to me, and without the BFA degree program I doubt I'd ever be enlightened about the depth of possibilities for making things of clay and other materials, or the impact of art on the world. That is not to say that probably a high percentage of the learning could be acquired outside of a formal educational process, with free lectures, Youtube videos, decent local studio classes, local guilds etc. , and maybe easier to handle cost-wise , assuming there is a drive to make self-education a priority.  I often say something is not either-or, it is yes-and, and I thin k the viewpoints in this thread fit that perfectly--great discussion! 
3 hours after I wrote the above, this popped up on my FB feed: ""The true purpose of arts education is not necessarily to create more professional dancers or artists. It's to create more complete human beings who are critical thinkers, who have curious minds, who can lead productive lives." -- Kelly Pollock

I think that what you get out of school is what you put into it. I know several people who came out of the same programs as me with little to show for it, and others who came out ready to take on the world. I found college and grad school to be a place of a million possibilities. It's where I learned to make pots, and where I learned a ton of technical knowledge that set me on the path toward a career in ceramics. In college and grad school I had far more clay and glaze materials available for testing than I could ever have in my private studio. I had kilns of every type available. I had the knowledge of dozens of other students who had come from other programs. There was no surrendering of free will, self-fulfillment, or creativity. In fact I would say there is far more creativity because a college program has far more resources and knowledge available, which allow you to work in directions you wouldn't be able to do on your own, or didn't even know existed. I had teachers that demanded and supported creativity and experimentation. If I didn't show up to the weekly critiques with something creative I was in trouble. In ceramics, and any art, lack of knowledge and technical skill are stifling. The more you know, the greater the possibilities. And all the non-art classes that I took? Those come in very handy too. Calculus, sociology, biology, writing, Spanish, music, economics, etc. They are all helpful to me as a business owner, husband, parent, and teacher. You can't live in an art bubble.
A college program also has a much faster learning curve, because there is a schedule that must be followed in order to get the grade. You either practice and learn the skill, or your grade suffers. An art center program doesn't have that kind of schedule, so the learning curve is much, much slower. Are you really 'wasting tons of cash and years of your life' if you get more skills in half the time? The whole purpose of an MFA program is to create a body of work that can then be produced and sold when you get out of school. I don't see how that is a waste of time or money.
It's not any cheaper to learn to make pots at an art center than at a college. Say you take a class at a local art center or studio and it costs $150 a month (which is a little low in many places), that's $1800 a year if you go all year. In that class, you're going to learn, at most, 1/2 of what you would in a decent college program (if even that). I know this because I teach community classes. When people only come into the studio once or twice a week,  it takes a lot longer to learn the skills, and the resources aren't there to provide a really comprehensive ceramics education. So if you do the math, you'd need to go 2 years, $3600, to get the equivalent education of one year of a college program. Add in the cost of clay, and in many studios also the cost of glazing and firing, and it's even more. And you probably don't get to load and fire the kilns, or mix glazes, or have formal critiques, or have the variety of kilns and raw materials available to you. Full time tuition at UW Whitewater for residents is $7,692. That's for 4 or more classes, so no more than $1923 a year per class.
Yes, there are some college art programs that are very expensive, but you don't have to go to those. I went to  state schools that were quite inexpensive at the time, and got a better education than my friends that went to the expensive schools. But I also worked really hard to make sure I got a good education. It wasn't just handed to me. I took advantage of all that was available to me and made sure I wasn't leaving anything out. I spent 40+ hours per week in the studio from day one, 70 hours a week in grad school. I helped our lab tech with all of his maintenance jobs. I learned how to fire every kiln. I built kilns. I ran thousands of glaze tests. Not all schools are the same, not all schools are good, and not all schools are a good fit for every person. You have to do your research and figure out what's best for you. I'm sorry if you've had a bad experience with formal education, but to say that all college is bad is inaccurate.
 
 

I wish my college let the students observe loading and firing the kiln, but it was fired over the weekend.  Students got to participate in kiln openings though, those are always fun

When I taught adult classes, 9-12, we would have about and hour of class time then studio for 2. Class time was active demonstrations on my part from how to assemble clean 90 degree slab corners to using a slab roller or an extruder. Vocabulary always included, along with the correct name for tools, processes, and materials. Loading the kiln was a demonstration and at time a group project along with critiques at unload.
 
best,
Pres

There are many people who worry that learning common ways of doing things, or other people's ways of doing things, will keep them from discovering uncommon ways of doing things or a unique personal style. 
These are often the same people who believe that small children have better judgment and instincts than people who have been exposed to a range of other people's ideas.
I don't think there is any evidence that exposure to a range of ideas or techniques is stifling. More likely it is stimulating.
There are others who loathe formal education because they were either bored or humiliated by the particular education they received and generalize that to all formal education.
I have also encountered people who are convinced that formally educated people are less disposed to becoming life-long learners than people without formal education. I don't think there is any validity to this assumption.
The question of how much it is reasonable to go into debt or how much time it is reasonable to devote is entirely legitimate. There will also be people who have an exceptional alternative resource available to them that is uncommon, someone who is willing to devote all the time it takes to teach them privately. Most people will not have this option. 
I have taken two ceramics classes. One was an open studio sort of thing with lots of studio access but little instruction. The other involved formal instruction but no access other than during class time to practice space or equipment.
I learned much more from the second than from the first, but these experiences made me wish I had had an opportunity to take a class from a teacher over the course of a three or four month term in which I also had access to the studio to practice. At this point I am unlikely to be able to do that.
 
 
 

Without formal education I wouldn't be where I am now in my skill level and vision with regard to Ceramics. I have completed 3 courses at Sierra College and aced all 3 leaving me with a 4.0 average. The stuff that I learned in these courses has brought me to a place where I am doing custom orders as well as being able to donate to my local PBS station KVIE/ juried Art Auction

I was lucky enough to get into a special pilot school in Seattle when I was a wee lad.  It was a school that focused on the arts instead of academics and I got a very thorough exposure to every art form you could dream of.  We had a giant ceramics studio as part of the school and that's where I started my obsession.  Was able to stay in that school for 7 years, did everything from candle making to screen printing, wood carving, performance art, painting, etc etc.  
We moved away when I was in 8th grade and my family decided to go the home school route after I had a difficult time adjusting to a traditional school.  I ended up going to college through an early entry program and took ceramics courses every quarter for two years. Loved it, volunteered all the time, had a key to the studio and covered dang near every aspect.  I really wish I had continued in that direction but I dropped out of school once I ran out of free credits.  
Fast forward 20 years and I went back to school for my computer science bachelor's, graduated last year.  I will say I use the knowledge and experience I gained in elementary and community college a whole lot more than I use the science I learned for my bachelor's.  Maybe my unstructured schooling as a child was totally different than traditional art classes but I wouldn't trade that hands on learning for anything.  I am a dental laboratory technician now, making dentures, and using those ingrained skills every day.  
Just early this year I was able to afford the space, time and money to get a wheel and build a kiln.  Back at it and it was like riding a bike.  So the value of education on ceramics?  Well, I have to say it is invaluable in my life. 
As far as calculus and organic chemistry are concerned, they're there because there is some minimum standard of knowledge by which an institution must adhere in order to issue credible certifications.  There isn't a specific degree for every possible field, so while I may not ever use calculus as a web developer, someone else with my degree who designs computer components may indeed use it.  I didn't mind learning new things, even if I was never going to use them again in my life.  I guess I am just curious enough to be a sucker for learning haha.
I don't understand animus towards schooling.  We have the luxuries we have today by building on the progress of the people before us, most of who are dead.  To not take advantage of that in one specific area (such as ceramics or design) out of some kind of personal principle seems like such a strange stance. And just because you have a solid foundation on which to start, doesn't mean you have some rule book you must adhere to.  Why be ignorant by nature when you can be ignorant on purpose!

The Hulk recently ascertained in the QotW pool. . . 
We read John Barth's short story "Lost in the Funhouse" in undergrad English (literature concentration); when/if one has seen and understood how the funhouse works, one can't very well go back to and have the first time through experience again. The concept might go somewhar near "knowledge is suffering" - suffer to get it, suffer because of it, and then suffer some more. Is it worth it? Uuuhm, o'course't!!
Whal, writing as art or not art might be easier to agree on that ceramic work ...or is it?
Any road, formal education/training (that isn't crap) is worth it, imo, howeber, you gonna suffer, an' one can't go back neither.
 
I'm assuming, rightly or wrongly that he is considering the value of formal education in the process of dealing with Ceramic?  So I will ask, in paraphrase: Did you have formal education dealing with your introduction and growth in Ceramics? If so how do you value this formal education? If not, do you miss the opportunity to get formal education?
 
Whooooo. . .As a teacher, it is logical that I support the value of Education. I do, with some reservations. . I don't know as I really have had need of Calculus, Advanced inorganic Chemistry, or Quantitative Analysis, but when it comes to Art, I found that the things I missed most from my High School years was mostly about Art, and the Arts. My introduction to Ceramics came in my third year of college, and I was blown away! Literally, to know that there was this wheel and the feel of the clay and OMG I just had to learn all about it, and it has been a journey, through undergrad and grad school. However, if to go back and do it all over again, I would have been more organized about it. I took classes Ceramics, did not enter a Ceramics program. Big difference. However, I am a good self learner, and over the years have read well, learned and taught. . . all of this leading to my understanding of Ceramics I have today. Not perfect, but works for me, so in the long run, no regrets. Suffering, no, something that brings me so much joy could never make me suffer. . .as when kicked by a bad load, or flopping pot, I get up and start over again.
 
best,
Pres

Thanks Min, thanks Liambesaw!
Search string "woven wire 80 mesh stainless" generates sufficient hits for me ...seeing need for smaller sieves (I have a few 5 gallon bucket size) for test batches o'glaze, etc.

Every time I make a little mosaic tile shape I like, I make a bisque press-mold of it. I have dozens of these now and don't have to worry about losing forms that may have arose spontaneously. They give me a strange sense of satisfaction. 

The tool that I made which probably gets about the most use are the small sieves. I use them to sieve my glazes before spraying. Local place charges $27- for one of the Talisman test sieves which I have a problem with since I was going through quite a few every year. (plus they are a little small for what I was using them for) I prefer the first one as it will sit in a container without me having to hold onto it. Other one was faster to make though.
 
 

"If I lived nearby, I would do the eight hour shifts for you."
Me too.
As for what I think/feel/do regarding limitations, I'm very lucky to be able to adjust for weak and sore thumbs (and a few other minor problems).
In public settings, I can hold my breath and/or walk away when artificial fragrances loom. Unfortunately, it's not a "real thing" for many - my "doctor" (looking for a new one), my employer (former, retired early), ceramics instructor (so farr, staying upwind of the two stinkers is working; when the weather turns cold and the doors close, weelll, I'll just open the doors, or go home), etc.
I'm lucky!
 

I learned to make a twisted cut-off wire with stainless wire:
Put washer (or half-clothespin) in the center of the wire (cut doubled wire longer than the desired finished line to allow for twists).
Attach washer to center of wheel head with a lump of clay.
Hold an end of wire in each hand, slightly tensioned, above the wheel at about a 45-90 degree angle from each other.
Power the wheel to provide twist. The wheel speed and angle of wires to each other will determine density of the twist. 

I'm also curious 'bout what type of line you're using GEP; there are many single and multiple strand options in stainless steel (and titanium), e.g. https://afwfishing.com/afw_products/K175T-0.asp 
Likely braided dacron (or other synthetical stuff) would work as well... oh! there's a reply!
...will try't with multiple strands of braided dacron (bass line), as I don' have any shark leader in th' tackle box.

Try www.onedreamdesign.com, or google "one dream soap pump"

Try www.onedreamdesign.com, or google "one dream soap pump"

Oooh, that'd be good for the framers (house in progress next door) - they start at seben  a.m.!

Teapots. . . 

 
best, 
Pres