Step Four:

Am I Ready To Make A Bowl, Yet?
Or, How To Spread The Clay Into An Open Bowl Shape.

Add a few drops of water. Start by increasing the pressure from your inside hand, gently pushing as you move both hands up the wall. Your outside hand should continue to support the outside wall. To move the clay out, your inside fingers should be slightly lower than the outside. The last command that the clay feels is the one that will stay. The increased inside pressure coming from a lower angle will ensure that the clay will begin to spread.

Start to shape your cylinder. You can use both hands inside or outside. There is no "one way only" in clay. Each of us is different, as is each of our pots. See Special KPS Throwing Ribs I have chosen a throwing rib to help form the "bowl" shape from the inside. Use any rounded rib or continue to use your fingers. The bowl will become alive from the inside out, but don't forget to draw back and look at it from the outside also. Continue to smooth the rim after every move. This will help keep it all centered and even.

Continue laying the rim lower and spreading from the inside with support from the outside. What a pair. As the rims become wider and further apart from the center of the wheel, you must decrease the wheel spin speed. The centrifical force will lead you astray with clay on the walls if you don't slow down. The Taller, The Wider, The Slower. Ultimate rule of mother nature and the clay goddess.

Almost done. Stop the wheel and put a little water just in front of the bowl onto the bat. (More gentle lubrication.) Grasp your wire cutter firmly and spread it across the top of the bowl. You are measuring how much line you will need to make sure your arms don't hit the rim. Let the wheel begin to very slowly spin. Place both hands in front of the bowl. Use your thumbs to hold down the wire against the bat head. Keeping your thumbs firm and the wire tight, draw the wire underneath the clay and straight towards you. Do not raise the wire until your wire is completely drawn through the bottom and away from the pot. Take a deep breath. Air is good for your brain.

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN  When you are done for the day, clean up after yourself and you will always start fresh. Contrary to some thought, creativity does not flourish in clutter and messes.

Now you can stand back and see what you and the clay have created. Remember, there are many ways to the top of the mountain. These are guidelines, master them or create your own way. Stay centered, all you clay goddess' and clay gods. Remove the bat from the wheel. Set it aside until the rim is capable of supporting itself. Once it is firm enough, do one more manual wire undercut, place another bat on top and flip it over to dry upside down. Trim if you like. You may be done with the throwing, but you are most assuredly, not done with the pot. Home

Demonstration, courtesy Christine Winokur, patient photos by Jason Winokur

Wheel used: Creative Industries, Clay Boss, Clay used: KPS 235 Schoolhouse Buff Stoneware

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