Teapot and teabowls
I really enjoy everything about pottery (well, cleaning kiln shelves and recycling clay are not at the top of my list). Since setting up my own studio, I have had to reconcile a few things in my mind – I am a real potter even if I use commercial glazes and fire to cone 6. If you are familiar with the ‘rock-star’ potters, you realize that most of the potters who are in publications or are nationally known use porcelain, create their own glazes, and fire atmospherically. Although I admire the effects achieved by using different materials and alternative firing methods, these alternatives are not what were available to me at the time I began throwing. Now, that I can control what and how I fire, I realize I need to be selective about where I spend my time and put my effort if I want to develop. In the beginning, I experimented and sampled everything, but continuing to dabble would be a distraction and prevent me from improving. If I don’t prune and eliminate, I will be diverse but average.
Teapot detail
The geochemist and cook in me would love to create my own glazes. But that has several concerns: health, space, storage, and time. Right now, the parts of the process I enjoy most are throwing and trimming. So, I am choosing not to delve into other aspects at this point in order to sharpen those that I am more passionate about.