Hands On Creation by Kala Enfield

HANDS ON CREATION by Kala Enfield

HANDS ON CREATION

ÂŠ 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. The opinions expressed in this book are those of the author only and not those of York College of Pennsylvania. This book is an experimental class project for purely educational design purposes. Photography by Kala Enfield, Daniel Good, David Lynch, Tammy Young Design by Kala Enfield Printed by www.lulu.com

HANDS ON CREATION by Kala Enfield

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

Tactile Making 12-20

Pinch Pot 22-30

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

Coil Pot 32-40

Throw Pot 42-54

Problem Solving 56-58

Introduction These past three months I’ve had the privilege to take a pottery class at the York Town Guild. I got to work with some talented potters and met some awesome people. It has been an amazing experience. I have never worked with pottery before this and now I’m hooked. In only the first two weeks, I had already learned so much about the processes of pottery. I learned that is isn’t as easy as it looks but with more time and practice you can become an experienced potter. Pottery dates back

20,000 years ago. It is one of the most ancient industries on the planet. I wanted to put myself in the shoes of our ancestors and create what they started. This form of art has by far been the most hands on for me. Instructions and demonstrations were easily executed, which made learning fun and easy. Every once in a while it is nice to take a step back from the computer and get your hands dirty. That’s just what I did!

Through my documentation process, I demonstrate the making of three styles of pots (pinch, coil, and throw.) During my process I start with the construction of the clay and work my way though the last and final process of decorating my pottery. My processes of decorating include glazing and a technique using horsehair. Throughout my book I include my struggles and my achievements of pottery. It is a process of trial and error. It was a true learning experience for sure. I also include

the knowledge that takes part in creating a piece of pottery. In the end I want my audience to have a better understanding of the process of building up a piece of pottery and understand the importance of craft.

CHAPTER ONE

TACTILE MAKING

ONE

CRAFT AS A CHILD

I grew up on a farm with 6.5 acres of land and it gave me the opportunity to create. Endless rows of trees, a creek that stretched for miles and knee high grass was a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderland. Nature was my artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pallet and it was right at my fingertips. I discovered ways to use nature as a form of art. I used mud as paint and glue. Sticks were used to build sculptors and forts. Whatever I could find I used to create what I considered masterpieces. Chocolate trees, mud pies and sandbox cities were my specialty. Creating with my hands was natural to me. It was something I did everyday. To create something out of found materials, felt good. It was my own creation and there was no other creation just like it. It made me feel like an eight-year-old professional artist.

As an adult, I find myself going back to these techniques that I used as a child. Working with my hands with this project brought back my mud pie making days, but this time I was making something real. I was creating something that reflected my past and who I was as a maker. I was bringing something back that I learned as a child, and that was creating with my hands. I am a maker that enjoys the hands on aspect of creating art.

ONE

HANDS ON

When I think of hands-on, I think of physically touching something with your hands. You gain more knowledge of something when you have direct personal involvement with it. For me, physically getting involved in something helps me understand the subject better rather than hearing a lecture or reading about it. Being able to wrap my hands around the clay and physically form the pottery myself helped me become more familiar with the making of pottery. Making pottery is a slow and tedious process for some. It’s a process that takes a lot of patience and time. In today’s age, everyone is moving so fast. It’s okay to slow down every once in a while. Working the clay with your hands and forming the shape of the pot brings a sense of meditation and relaxation. As soon as my hands grasps the soft mud like, natural, earthy material, my inner child is awakened. As a child, I made sculptors from Play-doh. I made everything from farm animals to jewelry

to pretend food. Now I am in my twenties learning how to make the real deal. Step by step I carefully sculpt my pottery with great precision. With every inch I inspect it to make sure there isn’t any divots or scratches. You can say I am a perfectionist. I love making sure every inch of my pot is smooth and perfectly shaped. This is where the time and patience comes in. When working on the wheel for the first time, I was in awe. I felt like a kid again. Once my hands touched the slippery spinning clay, I could now imagine what Demi Moore felt like in the Movie Ghost. It is hard to describe the feeling exactly. It is an experience you must try on your own. Being able to physically touch the clay and shape it is an experience you can’t take away. An experience that is challenging and messy. If you like to get your hands messy, this could be a good hobby for you.

ONE

AUTHENTICITY

We live in a society of digital processes and have a deep investment of virtual experience. It has taken over the processes of crafting and manipulating physical materials that we create by hand. When you spend time making something you feel a sense of pride and appreciation in your work. For example, knitting a scarf or building a birdhouse feels more satisfying rather then going to the store to buy these items. They are your own. There is no other just like it. Doing things the old school way, in which were carried down by generations by traditions of rare skills, shows off your skills as a human being and proves what you are capable of doing things on your own. By taking a pottery class, I can appreciate the authenticity of my craft. The love of crafting and creating with your hands evokes a sense

of fullness. Each piece of pottery I make is true to my personality. It reflects who I am as a designer. It is different then working on the computer. Yes the work that you create on the computer is yours but where are you getting the fonts and the pictures? Are they yours? Making a piece of pottery from scratch, working it, shaping it and carving your name on the bottom is yours. It is something you can call your own. Creating something as challenging as pottery cannot be copied. Each piece you make will never be the exact same. A small divot can make a difference from one piece of pottery to the next. On the computer all it takes is a simple copy and paste to make a duplicate. It makes designing on the computer a thing of the past and getting your hands dirty, a thing of the present.

ONE

SELF ANALYSIS

Overall, I had an amazing experience making pottery. I was able to go back to the days I created outside as a child and apply what I learned to the work I did for this documentation process. It was also a great learning process. As a child I was only experienced in working with Play-doh but now I’m able to create a simple pinch pot and tackle the most difficult process; throwing on the wheel. A skilled instructor has the knack for making it look extremely easy but I found out it’s not as easy as it looks. It was a process that took a lot of patience and time. I’m a person that doesn’t have the greatest patience, which made it hard for me. In the end I learned how to slow down and take my time, which helped me in my creations.

Learning a new skill isn’t always an easy task, which I learned. Sometimes it is something that takes weeks, months or even years to master. Because I am a perfectionist I wanted everything to be perfect. Every divot had to be smoothed out and the shape of the pots had to be symmetrical. Like I said, some skills take time to master. Even though I spent almost three months working with pottery I’m not close to being a master potter. It is something I want to continue to do. It is a skill I want to master someday.

CHAPTER TWO PINCH POT

TWO

PINCH POT

A pinch pot is a form of pottery that has been hand made from ancient times to present. It is among the easiest types of pottery to create. Archaeologist suspect pinch pots are probably the oldest forms of pottery because they are the easiest to create. The pinch pot is simply made by pinching the clay so that it can be ornamental or functional. Today, pinch pots are still continuing to be made. Potters of all levels of skill can create a pinch pot.

The first step involves wedging the clay to get the air pockets out. The process I used was a slamming method where you slam the clay into the table several times. WARNING: Kneading the clay is bad. It adds air pockets, which can later result in an explosion in the kiln.

The clay is then rolled into a ball. This will be the beginning step to forming your pinch pot. When you think of clay you think of a soft material similair to playdoh. Clay is a slightly harder then playdoh and sometimes it is hard to work the clay to get the shape you want.

Using your thumb, you will create a divot by pressing your thumb down in the center of the clay. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to press so hard that you go to the bottom.

Using your fingers you will then shape the inside and outside of your pot. By pressing your thumb and index finger, pinching and pressing upward along the walls of the pot, you will start to see the pot form.

Using your thumb and index finger, you will then pinch and press the clay upward. With each movement of your fingers, your pot should begin to take shape.

Next you will smooth out the sides of your pot using either your fingers or a flat spatula. This was by far my favorite part in making the pinch pot. I enjoyed using my fingers to make the surface smooth because I loved how the clay felt on my fingers as I smoothed the surface. The pot will then need to dry. Depending on the size it could take up to 2 weeks. You will then fire it in the kiln at 1200-1800 degrees for 8 hours.

I decided I wanted to glaze my pinch pot. This process involves picking a color of glaze, then painting several layers onto the pot. The glaze I used was very thick. Therefore I only needed two coats. The more colors you add the more colorful.

It is then fired again at 1200-1800 degrees for 8 hours. This will melt the glaze and give it a shiny surface.

CHAPTER THREE COIL POT

THREE

COIL POT

Coiling is a method of creating pottery. The creation of vessels, which have been used for thousands of years, is made possible by the method of coiling. The method of coiling helps building thicker and taller pottery possible. Coiled pots are constructed by, increasingly stacking and assembling coils of clay one on top of the other. During construction, you can give your pot a creative look by leaving the coils visible or you can smooth them away for a clean look. With my coil pot, I chose to display a clean surface on the outside but left the coils visible on the inside.

You first start by shaping the bottom of the pot. You can either form a spiral bottom or a flat bottom.

The next step involves creating coils. To do this you will roll out a piece of clay into a shape of a snake. This part was difficult for me. It was hard to get a perfect rounded coil. I would either press too hard and flatten the coil or make the coils uneven and disproportioned. NOTE: The thicker the coil, the stronger the pot will be.

Continue to add coils, building up the layers of the pot. In between each coil you will score the top of each and add a touch of water using a paintbrush. This will help the next coil stick and make the pot sturdier.

The coils will then need to be merged together. This is done by using both hands; one on the inside for support and the other on the outside to merge the coils together. This is done on the inside and outside of the pot. Merging the coils together was my favorite part. I loved smoothing the clay together. The clay spreads easily with a gentle press of your fingers. You will continue to do this process (scoring and merging) with every coil you add.

The next step involves smoothing the outside of the pot with a tool called a rib. This makes the smoothing process easier and faster especially when making a larger pot.

Once the pot is smoothed you will use a wooden paddle to shape the pot. You want to make sure all the sides are even and there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any drooping happening. After it is smoothed and shaped the way you want it, it will sit and dry for 2 weeks.

I have to admit, glazing was much more fun then actually making my coil pot. For this pot I decided to paint a few layers of glaze on and then drizzle glaze on the rim of my pot. The great thing about glazing is you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what your pottery will look like after itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done. The colors always seem to change.

Just like the pinch pot the coil pot is fired at the same heat for eight hours. Once the pot is glazed, it is returned to the kiln for a second firing. Once fired the hot temperature will melt the glaze and give your pot a glasslike finish.

CHAPTER FOUR THROW POT

FOUR

THROW POT

The thrown method of pottery was introduced between 6,000 B.C.E to about 2,400 B.C.E. The introduction of the potterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheel brought great benefits. It established form and speed and a symmetrical shape. A job that took hours or even days to complete was now whittled down to just minutes. Throwing a pot involves bending the clay between your finger joints. It is a process that takes a lot of practice and technique to perfect. This is by far my favorite method of making pottery. It is messy, challenging, and addictive.

The first step to throwing a pot involves wedging the clay to eliminate air bubbles. For a beginner, a piece of clay about the size of two fists put together is a perfect beginning amount. That clay is then rolled into a ball and then ready to place on the wheel. You will then place the clay in the center of the wheel. To make sure the clay sticks to the tray give it a good throw, so that it sticks to the tray.

After the clay is placed you will then start to apply pressure with a wet hand on one side and the other hand on the top. Always make sure the clay is wet to help shape the clay. When the clay is pressed down it will start to center. While applying pressure you will use your entire body to work the clay. Note: Keep your elbows down!

After pushing the clay down you will then start to pull it back up by placing both hands on the sides and slowly moving your hands up.

You will then push your thumbs into the center of the clay. Pushing too far to the bottom will cause the bottom to break after firing. It is best to stop about 1/4 inch from the base. Moving both hands outwards from the middle of the clay will widen the clay. Always move your hands into/out of contact slowly while the wheel is going round. With practice you can avoid jerky motions, which can result in an uneven pot.

To build up and thin the walls you will then place one hand on the inside. With your other hand you will use your thumb to pull up the walls. Keep your hands touching, using them together as one for better control.

Once you build up your walls and get the correct height you will then make sure the pot is even and smooth. Gently wrapping your hands around your pot and moving them up and down and adding pressure will help eliminate these problems.

After your pot is shaped the way you want it you will then start to round the lip of the pot using a wet sponge.

While the pot is still wet you will take a carving tool to the bottom of your pot and trim the base. When you have stopped the wheel you will then cut the pot from the wheel by sliding a cheese wire underneath the base of the pot to separate it from the wheel.

After trimming your pottery will be ready to dry. When it is leatherhard you will burnish it using a spoon. This will give your pottery a smooth and polished surface.

My horse Willie volunteerd to let me cut some hairs off of his tail to use for my pottery. Lets just say he was not pleased. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too happy about taking a selfie with me either.

The pottery will be fired between 1200-1800 degrees Fahrenheit in a raku kiln for eight hours.

This next step can be quite dangerous because you must reach into the kiln while at 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, with tongs and gloves to retrieve your pottery for the next step. I took the job of lifting the lid open. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take a chance catching on fire. Thankfully there was a fire extinguisher handy just in case.

Immediately after the pottery is taken out of the kiln you will drape and scatter the horsehairs where you want them. If your pottery is taken out too soon the carbon of the hairs will burn away instead of imprinting your pottery.

Once the pottery has cooled completely, it is washed to remove residue. If you want a polished look you may wax it.

CHAPTER FIVE

PROBLEM SOLVING

FIVE

PROBLEM SOLVING

Throughout the past three months I have learned a lot about pottery. I have learned that not only is it messy but it is also challenging. Although I have learned the ins and outs of how to make pottery I still consider myself a beginner. Making pottery, especially throwing, takes many years of practice. It is a skill I hope to master someday. I did learn all the hardships of creating pottery. For example, not getting all the air bubbles out of the clay while wedging will cause an explosion in the kiln. While firing my first coil pot an air bubble was present and caused my pottery to explode. Therefore, I had to start over. This is a common frustration of pottery. You can spend hours working on a pot and one small air bubble will ruin it. Another problem I came across was when I was learning to throw on the wheel. Like I said, it takes years to master. Creating a perfect symmetrical pot on the wheel was impossible for me. There was one instance where I pressed too far to the bottom of the clay, so that when it

was fired, it left a hole in the bottom of my plate. Another issue I ran into was forming a perfect pot. Many of my pots had uneven sides and lumps. I’ve also learned a lot about myself during this process. I’ve learned patience is very important and patience is something I lack. When learning something new I always want to dive in and get started right away. Through this process, I had to learn each step and create along the way. It’s something I’m not used to. It taught me to slow down and really think about what I’m doing. In the end I learned that patience is key. Even though I ran across these issues I had an amazing time. It was fun getting my hands dirty and learning a new hobby. It has taught me patience and most importantly it has taught me determination. Now I want to spend every weekend throwing pottery on a wheel to improve my pottery skills. I want to someday call myself a master potter.