Muddy Hands

Last weekend most potters in the area opened their studios for visitors and gave insight into their working process. I took the opportunity and tried wheel-throwing again as everything was prepared and everyone invited to give it a try. I watched numerous videos about throwing the days before but it makes such a difference to try it myself. I don't have as much control of the clay's actions as I wish I had. Or of my actions for that matter. It's so hard to coordinate the speed of the wheel with my feet and at the same time the shaping of the clay with my hands. It always looks so breathtakingly easy when you watch a skilled potter building a beautiful vessel out of a lump of mud. To come that far it takes a lot of practice.

That's me opening the well.

Half my tries ended up deformed or in two pieces. Here are the ones I kept. They are wonky too and far from being perfect, but look, I managed to raise the walls! A little kid came watching me and my attempts and said with such a definite honest and serious attitude "I find this beautiful." and "I find this even more beautiful." - it was very encouraging!

On the next day I went to the pottery again because I wanted to decorate my pieces with some impressions but I had so weak and shaky hands from the day before, that I think I messed them up. Maybe I can amend them when they are dried.
Despite all the pain I want to try to throw the wheel again. The sooner the better!