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wedging for bravehearts and ivor pirie

updated sat 18 dec 99

 

Paul Stubbs on fri 17 dec 99

In message <000001bf45fa$4b5586a0$5e7d38cb@oemcomputer>, I.Lewis
writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>------------------
Ivor Pirie wrote

>Paul Taylor brought back a few memories with his information
>
>>Slam
>the clay half off the table, separate the two halves with your thumbs and slam
>the half in your hand on top of the one on the table keep the faith and repeat
>until the clay is mixed>
>
>Not heard this described before. I learned to do it thirty five years ago. I
>call it Sunderland wedging. It was used extensively by Ron Mottram when He was
>teaching Clay at the Art School there. Yes, it really works and is a good deal
>faster than wire wedging. Slam and shear about twenty two times and you create
>over a million layers
>
>
>
>Secret of tap centring. Count in a one- two beat. Once the offset brushes your
>left hand start counting 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 until you get the rhythm of your
>rotating
>wheel. Then start to syncopate your count 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2. On the second
>beat
>tap the opposite side of the pot 1touch-2tap, 1touch-2tap.. Learned that one
>from Seth Cardew. Now Seth is a great musician. He's got Rhythm.
>
>Best regards to all you inquisitive learners
>
>Ivor.
Hello Ivor I read your description of the Sunderland technique and offer
you this as an interesting variant. and very efficient too , Apologies
if its already old hat to some of you out there.
As with your suggestion a sturdy and semi absorbent bench is
advised. This is a good exercise in self belief and should not result
in personal injury if you have the right mental approach!
Hold the piece of clay at one end and above your head. bring it down
forcibly so as to shear through the piece about mid way through on the
edge of the bench, you should have about half of the clay still in your
hands. This you bring down hard onto the piece on the bench so that the
sheered surfaces are at opposite ends, peel off the whole, turn through
90 degrees, repeat cycle.
Not sure what to call this method perhaps the "Bristol Knuckle Shear" I
saw it being done there 30 odd years ago also
Its not for the faint hearted, but it certainly does the trick of
getting the clay and you into shape.
Many thanks for the tap centring description. That trick has eluded me
for many years.

--
Paul Stubbs