Class three

I neglected to take any photos of what I worked on during the third class of the hand-building workshop. We were scheduled to make platters of some sort, but the instructor also said we could deviate from the lesson plan. So I started making a wall vase. Well, actually two wall vases, as the trick is to make a container, then cut it in half vertically and attach a back to each half. I created a round container and the slabs for the backs.

Our first class was about creating stamps and rollers. The two latecomers are *still* working on theirs. I tried working on them at home, but it hasn't gone well. I'm beginning to think I prefer to *buy* stamps and rollers rather than make them.

In the past couple of months, I have tried to set aside Wednesdays as "block" days, when I don't schedule anything so that I am free to work on artsy craftsy stuff. I think today is the first blocked Wednesday without an interruption. So I started a slab container for holding chop sticks. Instead of using a stamp or roller for the design, I snipped some tips off an arborvitae in my yard.

Each side is about 3"x6". I left the sprigs on the clay while I assembled the container, to prevent smudging of the design. That's something one can't do with rollers and stamps.

One problem I have in class is rushing. Even though each session is three hours long, I find myself trying to cram as much experience into that time slot as I can. At home, I have to remind myself to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n. Things go much better when one doesn't hurry.

I'm also trying to get as much out of each class as I can. My goal was to improve my techniques so that anything I make in the future will turn out better than in the past. The tips and tricks are what make the difference.