shawnhar

Well I think we all would rather hear what form of education has helped you the most in pottery, but you asked for it!
 

At less than a year in, I have gotten way more out of utube, probably by a factor of 5, even though I took 4 or 5 classes since then. There is no option for me to receive physical instruction from a master potter here, I liked my teachers, and they are skilled, but I quickly moved beyond the basics and watching people that have really mastered it helped me tremendously. This forum has also been and continues to be a huge boon. I am still mainly focused on the physical act of making forms.

At less than a year in, I have gotten way more out of utube, probably by a factor of 5, even though I took 4 or 5 classes since then. There is no option for me to receive physical instruction from a master potter here, I liked my teachers, and they are skilled, but I quickly moved beyond the basics and watching people that have really mastered it helped me tremendously. This forum has also been and continues to be a huge boon. I am still mainly focused on the physical act of making forms.

Mine has 6mm mdf boards, and two different thickness "cutting mats".  We made the whole thing so it would take A2 mats.  They weren't bought to be different thickness, just came from different suppliers, but has turned out quite useful.

Welp, had to go get clay again, was down to my last box.  This time I decided to go ahead and bring a half ton home, which is all I trusted myself and my Tahoe to drive safely in crazy downpour.  500lbs of Klamath yellow and 500 lbs of vashon red.  I really like the yellow as a fast, soft clay and the red as a stiffer smoother clay.  Also picked up two new kiln shelves for the kiln I got in December.  The ones it came with were both cracked and covered in lowfire glaze.  Now I can get 3 shelves of mugs in my kiln at once which will be very nice.  
Speaking of kilns, I'm doing a full bisque right now!  So far I've been able to fill my kiln every week with a bisque, I'm pretty happy with that!  
This week on my workbench is more spoonrests and mugs.  I spent this last week doing just a bunch of spoonrests.

The foot control not jumping from zero to 88mph when you barely touch it, good bat pins and the rest I don't care about, although I'm spoiled by the quiet nature of my Bailey, it's really grown on me and now all the wheels at the studio suck, lol.

The foot control not jumping from zero to 88mph when you barely touch it, good bat pins and the rest I don't care about, although I'm spoiled by the quiet nature of my Bailey, it's really grown on me and now all the wheels at the studio suck, lol.

Thanks Mark, it might be just psychological and not help with drying, but I do feel it adds something visually.  I think I have seen the shark teeth as well, and a shark teeth toothbrush holder.
 I saw one pottery booth with sponges in all of them, came with a free sponge. I would have to put spoons in those rests or no one would know what they are, lol.

Thanks Gabby, I have notice the more time I spend making multiples the better I get at making them similar in size and shape. Between work and other current obligations I only get around 12 hours right now, hope to increase that to 20 in a few weeks, at least that's the goal.

15 flat sponge holders, 11 vertical sponge holders, 19 vertical spoon rest experiments, 1 small planter and 1 large mixing bowl. 1st time making sponge holders and my spoon rest idea needs some refinement.

The foot control not jumping from zero to 88mph when you barely touch it, good bat pins and the rest I don't care about, although I'm spoiled by the quiet nature of my Bailey, it's really grown on me and now all the wheels at the studio suck, lol.

My wheel is a Bailey that I got about 20 years ago. It is my 4th studio wheel since 1971. It is slower than Brents. I like that. Most important to me is the control of the form. I have been throwing some larger orbs. I had several go catty-wompus (sp?). I took them off the wheel,  jiggled them to straighten and hung them out until they stiffened a bit. Then put them back on the wheel and and continued throwing. I do give up on some and just re-wedge them.  Very excited about my new work with soluble salts.
Marcia
 

15 flat sponge holders, 11 vertical sponge holders, 19 vertical spoon rest experiments, 1 small planter and 1 large mixing bowl. 1st time making sponge holders and my spoon rest idea needs some refinement.

15 flat sponge holders, 11 vertical sponge holders, 19 vertical spoon rest experiments, 1 small planter and 1 large mixing bowl. 1st time making sponge holders and my spoon rest idea needs some refinement.

15 flat sponge holders, 11 vertical sponge holders, 19 vertical spoon rest experiments, 1 small planter and 1 large mixing bowl. 1st time making sponge holders and my spoon rest idea needs some refinement.

Today I threw the bodies and necks for some tall bottles. I really enjoy assembling these. The bodies are 3lbs of clay, 12" tall. The necks only require 1lb since they're so narrow. I'll lose about 3" to shrinkage, so the finished pots will be just under 18".
 

Well I'm all out of space again, so more firings this weekend!  Have a bisque load ready and then I'll have to do a few glaze firings.  If I keep it up at this rate I'll have enough to do a farmers market or whatnot in no time

We have a tile floor in that room and I decided against casters, instead I cut sections from a scrap piece of that interlocking dense foam flooring and attached to the bottom of the legs, slides easy, takes a little more effort with 300 lbs on the table, but no risk of damaging the grout and/or tile.

Got a glaze firing in, was able to fit 40 mugs.  This is a representative sample!  So happy to finally have an electric kiln working!
This week I have a bunch of candles I'm working on, gonna be great!  Right now I have a bunch of lidded containers bisquing, big stuff I have to fire alone, can't really pack it too tight.  Y'all that grew up on electric have no idea how easy youve got it!!!
 

Heisenberg's Uncertainty pots, they are both awesome and terrible at the same time, until the plastic is removed and the wave form collapses 
 

What Lee U said,  I am going out to  my shop to practice again and again.  I found a clay I like throwing three months ago, that has been a big help.  I threw a large set of dishes right before my MS messed up the motor control on my right arm.  I don't plan to do that again,  I just want to be able to thrown for fun or make something I need.  I am lucky that handbuilding was always my first love and that I never gave up working with clay.     Denice

What matters most to me when throwing is not giving up. The internal dialogue goes something like this:
"I should be able to throw just as well and just as much as I did years ago."
"Oh really? Who sez?"
"OK, let's just see (again)."
"OK, I observe and concede-it just ain't happening."
"OK, practice, practice, practice."
"OK, I am bored, bored, bored."
"OK, I admit that the wrist, back, neck, right knee,  and left hip are not happy campers."
OK, no one can make me and I don't wanna. "
"OK, we'll just call BS on that one."
"OK, I accept reality."
" I'll give it a rest for a few days. "
"Time's up; try, try, and try again. "
"Good girl!" 
It's not about the wheel, which is smooth as silk, reversible (which is useful & I enjoy for some pieces), and the speed is highly variable, readily responsive throughout the process. I'll never use enough weight to worry about torque & my current model Brent would more than handle it if I wanted to pull a whopper some day.  What I'm not up for,  having done my homework, a bit of experimenting w/chiropractor's help, and thinking a lot about what I want out of the time/money I have for this activity, is a brace for standing. I'm OK with a reduced engagement with throwing, and thankful for those bowls that make the cut. What matters most is, as noted, not giving up. 

It took 3 months to get centering right. I was a 90lb weakling ( really 87 pound). I thought my forearms developed Popeye muscles after 3 months. As for learning to throw, I think I am really getting pretty good now, and that has taken 50+ years but I don't usually end up fighting that lump. I have a plan and execute it. Without struggling.

I see myself standing in my studio wearing worn, stained raggedy clothes anxious to load my kiln and contemplating my next direction in clay.    Denice

We have a tile floor in that room and I decided against casters, instead I cut sections from a scrap piece of that interlocking dense foam flooring and attached to the bottom of the legs, slides easy, takes a little more effort with 300 lbs on the table, but no risk of damaging the grout and/or tile.