Wednesday, March 25, 2009

throwing demo

As it happens, at this moment I am writing from from the campus of Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe. My pal Nick hooked me up with a guest artist gig here for a few days. I'm doing a presentation/lecture/throwing demonstration for the pottery classes here, and I'm kinda having a blast. I'm realizing that I really enjoy talking to students, showing them stuff, talking to them about my work, and giving demos. When Nick brought it up to me a while back, the idea of being a guest artist, I immediately felt a little bit nervous. I have remnants of shyness backed up way down deep inside, and in my head I was like, "No no no no no no." But of course I told Nick "Yes!" Then I had some ad hoc practice at Greenwich House Pottery in my friend's classes that he teaches there, so I felt pretty comfortable today, and I think it went really well. I have one more tomorrow. AND I'm being put up in the "Visiting Scholars Suite" that is pretty dang... sweet. My sister and husband are here to snowboard while I'm doing my thing, so I pretty much feel like I'm on vacation right now! I have open studio on Saturday and I need to fire off one more kiln, but I'm thinking we may stay an extra day anyway. Time off: good.

Timing is everything, and my good friend Frank finished my throwing demo video just the other day, so here it is people, enjoy. I'm going to get back to being visiting scholar now.


Dry throw demonstration from frank-e-t on Vimeo.

12 comments:

  1. Wow lady, you're amazing!

    Enjoy your break!

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  2. Love your video!
    My first teacher threw dry like that, and taught us to use as little water as possible. I throw drier than anyone else in the studio, but I've noticed I've been using more water than when I was first learning. Bad habits creeping in.
    Are you using stoneware or porcelain? Are certain bodies more accepting of being thrown dry?

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  3. I love the laugh at the end!!!!! Great video!

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  4. Anonymous6:59 AM

    amazing video... not only dry but that wheel is got high rpm's too, have to try that.

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  5. Wow, seems like it would be close to impossible to throw that dry, but obviously it's not! I'll have to give it a go. I can tell that it has it's advantages. Thanks for posting this vid!

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  6. I was really curious about the dry throwing -- thank you for posting the video! I'm still enough of a beginner that I'm really trying to mold my habits. This might be good to try.

    And my children are making me replay the video repeatedly. Apparently you can have a job in children's TV, too.

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  7. I love your video. Awasome!!!!!! I do use too much water and many of my pots go down hill because if it. I will definitely try your dry method. Cheers!!!!!

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  8. Hi Whitney,
    Thank you for the video. I have been throwing again, as opposed to slip-casting, and it feels great. You're an inspiration. I wish I could come to your open studio this weekend...

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  9. Hey Whitney... I just looked at your video again. I noticed that you didn't collar in the pot or I would say "choke" it. I am use to doing this. Have you don't this to any of your pots and what's results to you get when you do this?

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  10. Thank you everyone for your comments.

    To answer a few questions: I throw dry with all clay bodies-- heavily grogged stoneware (like soldate 60) porcelain, and smooth clay bodies with little to no grog. This technique has worked for me for all types of clay. I suppose some are easier than others, but I'm not sure what makes some easier than others.

    And collaring or "choking" the pot. You don't have to do this to any pot, and I don't do that to mine. You don't need to, I don't think, it's just a personal preference thing.

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  11. great video, the filming was so good you can see every detail...great job. Not sure how I'll do at the dry throw but I'm going to give it a shot.

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  12. Amazing dry throwing skills. I have to give this a shot. Thanks for sharing. - Charan

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