STEP ONE:

How To Get Something Square Into Something Round.
Or, How To Spiral Wedge On The Wheel Head.

Cut the clay off the block with a wire cutter. Weigh it out, so that you know how much volume equals 1, 2 and 3 pounds of clay is and what size objects it will make. Conscious and Unconscious connections are very important. If you want to do production work, each piece should weigh the same amount. Do your weighing first.

Stand the clay firmly on one edge. Wedging will get you in tune (touch) with the clay you are working with. Wedging will help align the clay particles. Even clay that is 100% deaired can benefit from a cell-level "wakening" .

Holding your left hand still, pull your right top edge towards you. Working with clay is working with the "4 P's". Patience Practice Persistence Prayer

Continue to pull your right top edge towards you. Working with clay is starting from the ground up. Those computers won't help you now. Who needs Y2K?

Now, start to simultaneously push the right edge away from you and down towards the center, using the heel of your palm. And you thought this would be simple. Don't use your mind, just look at the picture and do it. It is simple.

This process "folds" the clay onto itself and creates spiral alignment. Your right hand will do most of the work. Your left hand will guide the action and keep the unit on a pivot. All you left-handed people can follow or reverse the picture mentally.

Keep the clay on a tight pivot and turn it 1/4 turn before your right hand pushes away and and down towards the center. You will develop a rhythm after practicing for a while. And will enjoy this part of your clay preparation. There is peace to be found in manual tasks that prepare us for creative work.

This is what it will look like. It will resemble a conch shell. Yes, I know, we are back to the earth talk.

Lighten-up the pressure on the last few turns to round out the lower right edge. Now it looks like a a pine cone on its side. The right side will be the top, once we start throwing. It will be a nice cone shape.

Holding the clay on its side, pat the bottom smooth and round. Be firm, we all need direction in life. We are almost done.

Aim for the center of your bat or wheel head and firmly slap (throw) it down. Must be where the term "throwing" came from. Congratulations. We have just begun. Go To: Step Two:

Demonstration, courtesy Christine Winokur, patient photos by Jason Winokur

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

Step Two:

Why Won't This Clay Stop Wobbling?
Or, How To Center Clay On The Potter's Wheel

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