Pinch Pots

Last week I made my first real attempt using the ancient pinch pot technique, which means I form a vessel from a ball of clay without using moulds (or a potter's wheel for that matter). It's not easy to use my hands only, but it's also very satisfying to know I shaped it all by myself. I made small low bowls and after I made the first one it felt like this could definitely strengthen the muscles of my fingers and hands and I hoped for a therapeutic effect. After the third one a very bad and unhealthy sort of pain predominates and I know, I tried too much at a time.

This is the first bowl with a textured double rim.

This is the second bowl. I scratched it with a floral motive inspired by the pattern of my current bedclothes.

This is the third one. It's carved painstakingly and in many steps with a freehand drawing. This finished my hands off, but so far I'm very pleased with it. I hope I removed all air bubbles and that none of those stubborn cells was able to hide and could destroy my creations in the kiln.