Anni back in the Studio
Spring, specifically Patriots Day, means the kickoff of the Pottery Making Season for me. During the long cold winter I am working full time at preparing tax information to send to accountants, and other than teaching my classes, there is no time for my pots. A practical plan to avoid having to do craft shows; as the years have gone by, the boxes of pots got heavier and heavier….
So with the Boston Marathon on the studio tv, I start making pots! I’ve already done most of the preparation to begin a work cycle. The wheels, tools and work tables are clear and clean. My old clay is recycled, new clay boxes are stored and waiting. I’ve decided when I hope to fire the kiln: I’m looking at about 6-7 weeks to make pots, trim, dry, and bisque fire them; then another week or so of making batches of glaze, scraping and washing kiln shelves, glazing the pots and loading them into the kiln. One day to fire, two days to cool.
So as I watch the runners, crying at the emotional finishes, I can start making pots, as much of the Dithering Process has been done. As I’ve explained to my students, this seems to be a mandatory part of my work cycle. It’s not really procrastination, as this is when the studio and clay gets prepared for work, cleaning, recycling, maybe re-organizing a space which needs tweaking (this year I switched places for my brown stoneware and porcelain wedging tables), making an inventory glaze chemicals. But underneath the Dithering Process there is an agitation; a build-up of stress, akin to stage-fright I think, cumulating in a leap of faith – and I’m ready to dive into the process. When I start working with the clay, I finally relax. I may still be wondering if I’ll ever have another creative thought in my life, but I let the thought go because I know now that it is there waiting to be discovered. All I have to do is the work.
I’ve finished my stoneware work for this kiln, a few orders, some extras… I’ve switched over to porcelain clay, smooth and creamy. I start with low pieces, baking and serving bowls, getting used to making pots out of buttercream frosting, then I’ll be onto the taller, more challenging vessels.
Momentum comes, and we’ll see what happens.
Dogtown Studio Pottery
1181 Washington Street
Lanesville, Gloucester, MA 01930
978-281-3512
claycats@aol.com
