Thursday 28 January 2010

Just three jugs

Well nothing much to show today, just three five pound jugs that I made on Mr Cardew's wheel.

I've still some soft reclaim clay to use, so I'm making all my tapered pots first. Bellied pots are better for a bit more 'tooth' in the clay - the texture provided with the addition of coarse brick clay. For these tapered pots however, the clay works better, smoother, so the far less gritty reclaim mix is ideal. I haven't felt confident enough yet on the big wheel to make the bellied stuff - it's a bit like learning to drive somebody else's car.




The wheel is a fantastic piece of equipment and I'm so, so pleased that I have it. It has a hugely long strike on the kick pedal and that provides plenty of momentum, making centering the clay, really straighforward and fairly effortless. It's taken a bit of getting used to because my posture is completely different on this wheel from on any other, but I can't help but feel that Michael Cardew would have designed it for maximum efficiency when using it in the correct manner, so I figure my posture is the thing that needs to change.

Peter commented a couple of days ago about how it must have been a special moment, getting red mud on this old kickwheel - and he's aboslutely right. When I'm using it, I think of the master potters who went through Wenford Bridge over the decades and wonder whether the likes of Svend Bayer, Clive Bowen or Mark Hewitt ever made pots on it?

More pots tomorrow and pantomime performance in the evening.

Bye for now.

6 comments:

Gary's third pottery blog said...

holy cats, what a wheel! When I win the lottery and visit you, can I sit at that wheel for a minute????

Hollis Engley said...

Pretty cool connection to the past, isn't it, Doug?

ang design said...

i dunno doug, i think it could do with a cushier seat!!!

doug Fitch said...

Padded it up since you were here Ang -I'm too boney in the backside, that lump of wood was a bit much wasn't it?!

Gary, I'll insist that you do!

Sure is Hollis, Michael Cardew is my great hero, as are the other guys I mentioned.

Ron said...

Good stuff Doug

gz said...

The long strike on the kick wheel is probably because he had long legs, as I remember.
It is a useful thing to have when one uses a kick wheel!
(I use a Saviac btw )