What's happening in the studio?Summer session is under way! It's great to have people back in the studio, and classes so far have been action-packed and super fun. Remember to get into the studio as much as you can to practice, it's the best way to improve your skills. You can use either side of the studio as long as there is not a class or workshop happening during that time. There is an overflow pottery wheel area for practicing during pottery classes in the back of the studio, and there are a few tables around the studio for use when handbuilding class is happening. As of today, the studio class schedule is as follows: Hand Building/Glaze area:
Tradesies! After a slow start, the TRADESIES shelf is starting to show some signs of greatness. This is a wonderful opportunity to grab something you might like to have in your home and trade something groovy you made in exchange. There are some cool things there right now, so the next time you're in the studio, check out this situation and see if there is anything there that catches your eye and leave something groovy in return! If you are not a tradesies shelf type of person, you can always offer to trade with any other artist in the studio. It's a nice compliment and very often, the person you ask will be quite complimented by the offer. Online classes?We are in the midst of creating online classes for kids and their parents in the local area. They will be simple, come with a small bag of clay and include the ability to bring your finished work in to get fired when you're done. We are very excited about these and hope to get a few done to launch in August. Stay tuned! Pottery as a Mirror.One of the things I teach my beginning students as they are sitting at their wheels for the first time is that the practice of pottery tends to be a bit of a mirror. Your initial approach to clay is often reflected in your personality. One of the most common things that first timers struggle with is being aggressive enough to move the clay, and compassionate enough to let the clay do what it needs to do to grow into a finished piece of pottery. Clay is alive, and it reacts to even the slightest touch, while simultaneously needing a firm hand to get centered and stay there while the pot is being brought into being. I realize that's a passive phrase, illustrating an active experience, but that's life sometimes. Just like pottery, I guess. The point is to keep at it. No matter who you are or where you are in your clay journey, practice will always help you improve, and watching and learning from many people will help you see that there are a million ways to throw a pot, and your job is to find the way that best suits you. Happy potting! Tip of the Week! Expose yourself to art. There are a ton of cool books in the Burnish library, and there is no harm in checking out all the cool stuff in them. Reading some of them might help, too. It's what people used to do before the interwebs, and there are tons of images in these books you just won't find on the web. Dig in the next time you're in the studio. Artist Resources
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