MAKING METHODS ...........63

CHAPTER FIVE

CLAY PREPARATION AND RECYCLING

LINDA BLOOMFIELD

Clay can be dug from the ground, mixed with water, sieved and dried out on a plaster batt ready for use. However, many potters find it easier and less time consuming to buy their clay ready made. It needs to be prepared before use, either wedged and kneaded ready for throwing or blunged with water to make slip for slipcasting. It is also possible to buy ready-made slip.

There are several wedging and kneading methods. The aim is to get the clay evenly mixed throughout so that it has a workable consistency with no hard lumps or air bubbles. Wedging consists of cutting a lump of clay in half and slamming one half down on top of the other on a sturdy work bench or table. This is repeated many times, stacking up the layers in the same direction so that the number of layers doubles each time. After ten times cutting and slamming, you will have 1024 stacked layers and the clay will be evenly mixed. Additionally, most potters then knead the clay. The main methods are ox-head and spiral kneading. Ox-head kneading uses two hands, placed on either side of a lump of clay, which is pushed away onto the bench, then brought back in a rolling motion so that clay forms the shape of an ox head. Spiral kneading is more asymmetrical with one hand closer to the body than the other, both hands working together on gradually kneading and rotating a large mass of clay, forming a spiralling cone, which takes some practise to achieve. In large, well-equipped potteries, a pug mill is often used to mix the clay.

Opposite: Alice Funge preparing clay for throwing in her studio. © Alice Funge