Find your way with clay through the humble pinch pot. Learn to articulate with touch. Make a smooth and refined pinched bowl or a deeply tactile pinched cup. Create a multi chambered sculpture, a bud vase or a musical rattle. For inspiration, we will look at a myriad of textures and forms found in nature such as the delicate tapered shape of a milkweed pod, the ridges of a cockle shell, or a spiny jimson weed. This class will focus on mastering pinch pot techniques while providing playful exercises that stretch our creative thinking.

Safe social distance glazing will be available as well as virtual Office Hour sessions to meet with the instructor independently outside of class time. (Office Hours: one half-hour session per student is included with tuition — details on how to schedule TBA upon registration.)

There will also be an optional opportunity to participate in an in-person smoke firing at the art school.

Materials

Basic Tools

Please note: you may have similar substitute items at home, which will be fine to use. Paula can also suggest substitutes for all items below if you are on a tight budget!

• metal rib

• serrated metal rib

• wire tool (or fishing line)

• rolling pin (18- or 24-inch ideal) OR 24-inch x 2-inch dowel

• 1/2- to 3/4-inch brush

• needle tool

• potters knife

• small sponge (can be cut from a regular kitchen sponge)

• 2 guide sticks (can use 2 large paint stirring sticks or two 1/4-inch dowels, square or round)

• non-stick work surface — (roughly) 24 x 24-inch board or larger to work on. 3/4-inch plywood or hardi board or slab mat or heavy duty canvas

Optional

• 2 oz. Velvet Underglaze (2–4 colors)

• flexible rubber rib

• pony roller

• retractable scoring tool

• surform

• slab matt

• banding wheel (range from $19 up)

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