I have been throwing today, it feels like it has been a while! I have been thinking of the shapes I would like to use for the vessels to mark the locations of the clay. I have tried to throw larger pieces today but they all seem to want to slump down due to the sand. I can pull them up quite large but they still keep dropping in shape, or slumping. so frustrating.
I thought I'd like to make a shape for Happisburgh in the form of a lighthouse, using bands of clay slip similar to the bands found on the lighthouse. Its not really meant to be decorative, but just a method to include the slip which makes sense from a phenomenological perspective. The wheel turns and the bands are as instinctive as throwing the vessel itself .
Blending clay for vessels-
So, I have been experimenting with blends of the Derbyshire clay and other clay bodies. I have found that the pure derbyshire clay is very difficult and often unsuccessful when thrown due to the amount of sand in the clay. it feels as though I can 'pull' the put up really high, but the sand starts to slump the clay. It feels a bit like when you are walking along a beach, when you take your foot away from the waters edge how the sand fills the space immediately. Its very odd. Adding porcelain has seemed to help the vessel 'stand up ' better and be lighter.
