Learning to make a ceramic pinch pot.

It was the first of my ceramic lessons today – not a module I was particularly looking forward to, I must admit.

Having done ceramics at school (I was bad!) and then at Adult evening classes (I was just as bad!!) I didn’t hold out much hope at all for being even half decent at it.

Our teacher was the marvellous Rob Winter – a superb ceramicist.

Our first lesson was handbuilding and to make a pinch pot.

We took a lump of stoneware clay and formed it into a nice smooth ball by banging it slightly with the palm of our hands whilst turning in the other hand.

Once smooth I would continue to turn whilst pressing my thumb into the centre.

This wasn’t so bad after all – I managed to turn and press my thumb into the hole making it bigger and thinner each time.

Then I added a ‘signature’ button so I could tell it was mine when it came out of the kiln.

Considering the very first effort that I had made way back in school over 40 years ago… I don’t think I did too badly.

This piece is going to go into a Raku firing later on in the module.  Before then it will be fired in a bicuit fire at 800 degrees, then glazed with a Raku Glaze.