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Hi folks, no new questions in the pool, so I will pose one. I was recently watching a youtube video posted from House Beautiful about Heath Ceramics in S.F.. The video shows some interesting things including the use of a Griffin Grip! This production pottery also shows quite a bit of trimming, some throwing and ware on the storeroom walls. I was enthralled with the amount of trimming done with the GG, and how much trimming was done. I had always been taught to trim only the base, and make my throwing thin enough to not need trimming, and to use ribs when in need of smooth surfaces. Quite different story here in the video. This makes me reevaluate my values in the way of time, expediency, and even aesthetics. I have on occasion believed a piece was too heavy, and would trim some weight off up the sides, but very infrequently, Not being judgemental, as a teacher I would always encourage/require my students to get the most out the clay walls even testing them on height/weight throwing. Now I wonder if I was imposing my own learned biases on my students. So it brings to mind the question for my own justification or approval/disapproval. .. . QotW: How much do you trim? best, Pres

I used to fall into the affectation camp. Back in the day, if I could sell a mug for 6 bucks, I was pretty happy. I can throw pretty fast, and I'd throw the mug, undercut the foot slightly with a wooden knife, wire it off, and it was done, except for the handle. I'd wipe the edge with a sponge, and leave the wire marks. High volume was the key to making my ration of macaroni and cheese. But recently I got into throwing yunomis-- handle-less cups for tea and wine Most of the great potters whose yunomis I looked at used turned footrings, even if some of them were what I would call a little crude. I really liked the way these cups looked. I've always felt that a nicely turned footring was a prerequisite for an elegant bowl, but it never occurred to me before that they would work well with mugs. I tended to think stability was the big thing with mugs, so the wider the base, the better. In any case, I started looking at the yunomis I was throwing, and realized that some of the forms would work pretty well for mugs, too, with the addition of a handle. Lately I've been dividing my drinking vessel production into mugs and yunomis, both with turned foot rings. I really like them. Am I wrong to think that I have improved my forms? (I know, I know... each potter has to decide if a particular form demands a foot ring, but I apparently operate on a much more concrete form of esthetic judgement.) What are your thoughts?