In lieu of actually having access to a potting studio, I've been reading articles and watching videos on youtube to try and keep my mind in ceramics mode until I once again can sink up to my elbows in clay slop.

Apparently the local newspaper read my mind, because the front page article today was a really interesting piece on a local potter named Warren Mackenzie. I've seen his pots in my teacher's collections and i met the guy once at a craft fair. He's absolutely brilliant, and his philosophies about art, clay, and life are just wonderful. You all should definitely read the article; the man has a wonderful sense of humor that comes through in the interview. For people who pot, his ideas are rather deep. It'll make you consider your work in a different way than you have before! ---> [link]



For those of you who prefer visual media, I have some cool youtube videos of various potting demonstrations that are good learning.

Stretched Pattern Pot:

This is a pretty cool video. The potter uses what I think is either a white stoneware or a porcelain. They start with a tall thin cylinder, then they smooth both inside and outside. Then they apply a slip glaze on the body of the piece, and use a blow torch to dry it. After it’s dry he uses a rib to stretch out the pot, and the outside cracks in a very cool design! He throws the thing in under five minutes. It’s pretty impressive.
About 4 Minutes
[link]


Small Bud Vase

Nice technique Novice students could probably use. The potter throws about a four to five inch vase with bulbed sides. He has some valuable notes to remember such as making sure you’ve got your shape right on the bottom before collaring in the top, and also remembering to keep your neck from getting to wide. Apart from his brief ramble about the weather towards the end, he’s very informative and the video is very clear. It’s a good demonstration.
About 5 Minutes
[link]


Small Mixing Bowls

These bowls are about the size of a large cereal bowl. There are several minutes of throwing technique in the beginning, but at around 4 and a half minutes he demonstrates an nice way to clean up the rim and create a smooth lip. He also demonstrates how to make a spout/ divot in the edge of a bowl for pouring, and has some tips on how to remove a pot from the wheel.
Note: This is the same potter as the previous video
About 6 Minutes
[link]