Vince Pitelka on wed 12 apr 06
Rita Shaw wrote:
> I did not mean to overstate your thoughts, Vince. But a lot of folks
> out there believe that unless you "do it all yourself", you are not a
> "real potter". And to some, that includes throwing on the wheel,
> which I cannot do. I do not claim to be a "real potter" by those
> narrow standards. In fact, I do not claim to be a potter by any
> standards other than the sheer joy of working with clay.
> All the stamps and roulettes I have watched being
> made or read about were done on the wheel, which was also what I saw
> in your book. Do you have any guidelines on making them all by hand,
> or with a slab table? If so, I would love to learn how to do that. I
> am sure there are others who cannot or do not work on a wheel who
> would also appreciate learning those techniques.
Rita -
By definition, you are a potter if you make pots with any degree of
commitment or seriousness. Amateur or professional, it doesn't matter.
Give yourself credit for what you do, and don't let anyone else tell you
whether or not you are a potter.
There's no reason at all why you should feel compelled to throw on the
wheel. I was a professional potter on the wheel, but when I went to
graduate school, I fell in love with handbuilding. I still love to throw
and to teach throwing, but my great love is doing and teaching handbuilding.
I teach my students to make stamps and rollers in my intro class and
intermediate handbuilding class, and there is no throwing in either of those
classes. Just make small pads of clay, and then form small handles and
attach them to the back side of the pads. Carve or impress a pattern or
texture in the flat pad. For rollers, you can simply roll a thick slab and
cut disks, and carve or impress patterns or textures around the rim. You
can make a hole thorugh the center and mount them on a simple axle (just
bent coat-hanger wire works fine), or else you can just make indentations on
either side to hold them as you roll them across the clay.
You can also make sphere or barrel stamps. Roll a ball of clay as round as
you can get it - about the size of a golf ball, and then carve or impress a
pattern or texture all over the surface. You just roll them around randomly
on a slab, and they make beautiful patterns or textures. Barrel stamps are
shaped kind of like an old barrel, a little thicker in the middle than at
the ends, and you just roll them across the clay with the palm of your hand.
There are so many different kinds of stamps and rollers, and I've learned a
lot of new ways to make them since I wrote my book. The main thing is to
just experiment, and enjoy the process. Making bisque stamps and rollers is
such fun.
And have fun with Stan Hursts' stamps or rollers. They are nicely made.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
shaw pottery on wed 12 apr 06
Dear Vince,
I did not mean to overstate your thoughts, Vince. But a lot of folks
out there believe that unless you "do it all yourself", you are not a
"real potter". And to some, that includes throwing on the wheel,
which I cannot do. I do not claim to be a "real potter" by those
narrow standards. In fact, I do not claim to be a potter by any
standards other than the sheer joy of working with clay.
My body will not allow me to throw on a wheel without considerable
pain. I started off myself by going to a ceramic studio where
everyone worked with pre-molded ware, Perhaps you can imagine how
many times I heard that "oh, that's not pottery" from other students
when I first took a pottery class at the college. But I did have a
delightful time in Fort Collins, CO learning to finish the mold
pieces by chalking methods. And I still treasure some of the pieces I
made over 40 years ago.
My husband was (and is) a wonderful teacher who believes that almost
anyone in the world can learn to throw if they have the will and
determination and are willing to spend the time to learn. In fact,
the first time he sat down at the wheel, he threw a very nice bowl.
However, the second and third and many times after that, he did not.
A lot of folks might have given up, but playing in the mud had him
hooked and over 35 years later he is still at the wheel 6 days a
week. The lesson of that first successful bowl, and the frustrating
wait for the second, was beneficial to his many students over the
years. But I know that he would love to share the joy of throwing
with me, even to this day.
I must admit, one of the most incredible potters we have ever watched
(on video) was a man who did not have any arms below the elbows. He
threw with his feet, and demonstrated the throwing of a tea pot,
removed from the wheel wet after a cut off, the spout and handle
thrown after that, and then everything assembled at that time.
Obviously, he did have the determination and will power that I wish I
could emulate.
All that aside, all the stamps and roulettes I have watched being
made or read about were done on the wheel, which was also what I saw
in your book. Do you have any guidelines on making them all by hand,
or with a slab table? If so, I would love to learn how to do that. I
am sure there are others who cannot or do not work on a wheel who
would also appreciate learning those techniques.
Again, I apologize for over reacting to your post. And I received a
wonderful call from Mr. Hurst and have some stamps and rollers headed
my way!
Sincerely,
Rita Shaw
>Rita Shaw wrote:
>>Evidently you both do not need to use any tools other than those you
>>can make personally.
>
>Dear Rita -
>You have nothing to gain by extrapolating to that extent. Of course I use
>all sorts of commercially made tools. That has nothing to do with this
>discussion, because I was specifically referring to potters making their own
>pattern or texture rollers and stamps. That's a very specific category. As
>I pointed out, anyone can make some of their own tools, and it is so
>satisfying to do so. And it happens that bisque rollers and stamps are
>among the easiest tools to make. Give it a try. You will love making and
>using them, and once you have done so, I can guarantee that you will no
>longer buy someone elses patterned stamps and rollers. There's a complete
>explanation of how to make bisque stamps and rollers in my book.
>
>Please, Rita, don't stretch my words and meaning so far out of proportion.
>I stated my message very clearly. My intentions are the best, and I said
>nothing in my message to offend or upset you. It was offered as a helpful
>suggestion, as is the paragraph above.
>Best wishes -
>- Vince
>
>Vince Pitelka
>Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
>Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
>vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
>http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
>http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
>
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Taylor Hendrix on wed 12 apr 06
Hey Rita, daaaaling:
Try this. Roll out a coil of clay and either find textured paper,
mats or soles of shoes to impress around the coil. Just get the coil
the way you want it and then roll it around on a surface you find
interesting. You don't need to thread a hole for these kinds of
rollers. You use your hand to roll them on a pot or on a slab. You
can if you want to however. Works great. Make slabs this way too.=20
Cut them so you have big or small stamps. Reinforce with wood if you
need to.
I have several "sneeker" stamps I made one of the first clay classes I
helped teach for youngsters. Had 'em line up and show me the bottom
of their shoes.
Party on!
Taylor, in Rockport TX
btw, Vince thinks you over reacted. Doesn't mean you have to believe the s=
ame.
On 4/12/06, shaw pottery wrote:
> Dear Vince,
...
> All that aside, all the stamps and roulettes I have watched being
> made or read about were done on the wheel, which was also what I saw
> in your book. Do you have any guidelines on making them all by hand,
> or with a slab table? If so, I would love to learn how to do that. I
> am sure there are others who cannot or do not work on a wheel who
> would also appreciate learning those techniques.
..
Antoinette Badenhorst on wed 12 apr 06
Rita I did not follow your discussion, but I did catch you asking about
making your own stamps by hand and I want to comment on that.=20
Use a carton cylinder from a toilet roll (there are sturdier carton
cylinders available from other sources also) and paint it on the inside =
with
mold soap. Make it stand and seal it with some clay on the outside =
bottom on
a smooth surface like a piece of glass or tile. Pour potters plaster in =
the
cylinder and let it set. Once it is well set, you can cut it in smaller
slices (or leave it big) and carve yourself designs any way you wish on
them. Make sure that you mix a strong plaster (Vince has recipes in his
book) that will not easily chip and get into your clay, since it will =
burn
away in the firing and leave ugly marks on you pieces. You can also pour =
a
plaster slab and cut it in smaller squares and rectangles and carve into
those.=20
Warning: it is fun and addictive.
Do you need sharp trimming tools that will not wear out quickly? Contact =
me
for information.=20
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS, 38866
662 869 1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
www.southernartistry.org
=20
=20
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