Exploring the Wheel by Paige Gates

In the book Makers: A History of American Studio Craft, I found inspiration and a common bond with the artists who found their way to their craft later in life. On page 203,  “Beatrice Wood seemingly had nine lives, or at least that many identities, over her 105 - year existence.” She took her first throwing class at 47 years old. Four years later, she had a solo show. I also am drawn to her teaching style of emphasizing imagination rather than technique. The textile artists: Lenore Tawney was 47 before she devoted herself to weaving, Claire Zeisler was 59 years old when she had her first solo show and, “her best work was ahead of her”, are also inspirational to me. As I age, I discover I want to make art as Zeisler did, “solely to please herself.”

Once I came to the conclusion, I am not too old to learn a new trick, my mind was set to grasp the skill of throwing. In the process, I hoped to gain more knowledge and experience of clay. My basic knowledge before this semester was mostly self taught and just enough to stay one step ahead of students grades 1-8. I joined a ceramics class at our local community college and began my journey.






The journey on the wheel started with me observing others working. If I could watch someone, then attempt to throw, I had better results than starting right away on my own. Once I discovered my need to copycat, I hovered over a few very talented artists as they worked. Finally after some failures, I succeeded in making a few vases and jugs. I learned to love the patient process of trimming the vessels with the rhythmic spinning and the small spiral pieces of clay separating from the shape. This was very therapeutic for me. I was ready to attempt my final pieces which would be covered casserole dishes.

My desire to throw a bowl with a lid was based on my need to make functional ware. I wanted to create a dish I could use to cook, serve, and store. Warren McKenzie’s statement supported my wish to create function with his statement on page 219, “It (functional ware) is not a limitation, but instead a framework and support which frees me from the pressures of fashion and the excesses of technical skills as an end in themselves.”


I was immediately drawn to Karen Karnes’s Flame Proof Casserole Dish, 1957 on page 220, because of the low broad shape for easy serving, easy cleaning and the twisted ribbon handle. The twist, winding and organic shape is similar to shapes I have used in my jewelry. Once I successfully formed two casserole dishes, I researched the artists’ techniques of glazing and decoration from our book. While trying to decide how I would finish the casserole dishes, I experimented with my other wheel thrown pieces. Firing them in a wood kiln, high fire, and low fire

3" x 5" Wood fire, Apple Green Celadon Glaze

7" x 5" Wood Fire, Inside glaze and lip Alfred
White, natural outside

                 

3" x 4.5" High Fire, glaze unknown

 




 

Once again, Beatrice Wood and her glazing and firing caught my attention. I hoped to create the luster glaze she used, but I couldn’t copy her technique of throwing mothballs into the kiln because I shared the kiln with other artists. Since I chose a high fire glaze, I have had to wait to fire until there was enough work to fill the large kiln. Anticipation! Again, Anticipation!  

5.5" x 8.5" High Fire, Blue to Brown

Inside glaze Leach's White

4.5" x 8.5" High Fire, Red Shino

In conclusion, I would say my journey with the potter’s wheel has been successful. The most difficult part was not knowing if the pieces would survive the long firing and how the glaze would look, but also the uncontrollable element was healthy and freeing. Because the designs and shapes on the casserole dishes were spontaneous and flowed in an organic way, I acquired the same emotion with the firing process. As Ron Nagle was quoted on page 329, “You gravitate toward whatever moves you and then you run with it. It was all intuitive….I’m attracted to the format emotionally. It’s appealing to me on a real dumb, basic level.”