A Pottery Learning Journey

It has struck me recently how many creative and talented colleagues and friends I have and I wanted to showcase some of their creations and stories for you.

Darja has been doing pottery for several years now – she started in 2016. I remember when she first started and was so excited to get into the pottery class. I got a pot plant holder in my favourite colour for Christmas that year and still have it now. It has been a hobby that has given her some very important ‘me-time’ along with a creative outlet to balance out her busy life with work and now a young family. I love seeing her latest creations and never fail to be impressed with them.

What inspired you to get into pottery and how did you start?

I have always loved handmade pottery and spent quite a bit of time in the crockery section of second hand shops looking for old Temuka coffee mugs and plates. I loved the different shapes and feel of these solid pieces and was always amazed at the different colours and textures that you could achieve playing with glazes and different techniques. Although it’s an art there is a bit of a sciencey and experimental aspect to the glazing which appeals to my inner science nerd.

Why did you choose to go along to Auckland Studio Potters? Are there other options people can choose?

Auckland Studio Potters is a large studio in central Auckland with an established history of teaching. It seemed like a good place to start as they have a lot of options for different levels. It was a little difficult to get into a class- they are quite limited spaces and the art has definitely received a popularity boost through Instagram in recent years. The great thing about ASP is the access you get to other makers, classes are mixed level and you learn as much from your fellow classmates as you do from the excellent tutors. They have a great community feel as well and really make you feel like one of the family.

Since I started there have been a few more studios pop up over Auckland, there are options now in West Auckland, Ellerslie and the North Shore. Most of these new studios have links back to the ASP community and fill a big need for more space and opportunity for people to learn.

Tell me about the learning journey: is there a logical progression of things you learn how to make?

The learning journey with pottery is rewarding and frustrating in equal measures. It’s surprising how long some basic things take to master- something that looks easy from the outside will rely strongly on the potter’s experience with clay- to know when it feels right. The lovely thing is that even from the start when you haven’t got those skills you are still able to make some lovely things- without worrying too much about their technical perfection. Some of the early pieces I made are still my favorite today. You can get to a basic skill level quite quickly but there seems to be a bit of a plateau after that point that can be a bit frustrating- that’s where I feel I am at the moment- not getting any better but not getting worse. It’s something that’s solved by more time at the wheel and more consistent practice.

How easy is it to learn how to use a potting wheel? Do you make everything on there?

The wheel is a bit tricky but I think one of those skills that’s relatively easy to pick up. I tend to do everything on the wheel and rarely hand build because I like to make functional and useful pieces like mugs teapots and bowls. There are some members of my class who have never touched a wheel and can hand-make absolutely beautiful pieces.

Glazes are obviously an important part of the process – how did you learn about the different types and when to use them?

I attend a regular weekly class on a Monday night. its really the only studio time I get at the moment and its an opportunity to spend 3 hours weekly getting advice and doing some guided work. At ASP they have a pre-made set of glazes that you can use and mix to create your own so i haven’t yet got into making my own glazes.

We have demonstrations in the class that teach us about different skills and tools we can use each week.  My tutor has been a professional potter for a very long time, so his depth of experience in glazing is my go to for questions. Even then, the glazes don’t always behave as you expect, that’s one of the lovely and frustrating things about pottery is that you never know what will come out at the end.

Do you have a favourite type of glaze or is it ‘horses for courses’?

It’s horses for courses really. At the moment I am working with lots of recycled and mixed clays that have their own patterns and colours when fired so I tend to use a clear glaze or a white glaze to compliment the clay. In the past I’ve used lots of under-glazes to illustrate the pieces and play with a bit more colour.

Another really lovely glazing and firing technique and a favourite annual activity in the class schedule, is the salt and wood firing.  This is a multi-day process which involves everyone coming together to prep the wood, stack the kiln and then spend a full 12 hours stoking the fire with wood to achieve the right temperature. At various points in the process once the kiln is at a high temperature salt is thrown in through the gaps in the kiln. When it hits the glaze it creates a beautiful orange peel effect and can make the glaze appear metallic.

How do you decide what you are going to make now that you are more proficient?  Where do you get your inspiration from?

I am not particularly organised but I like to have a goal for each term- for example last term I focused on making teapots which is a bit of a challenge as they require lots of pieces to come together perfectly. I take inspiration on colour and shape from others I see around me, in my studio, in the “pool” room at ASP or on social media.

You have lots of lovely pieces with practical uses – have you ever made something purely artistic?

I have, there is a firing style called Raku which is really fun to do because it’s quick and allows you to play a bit more with glazes in a different way. Pieces made with Raku aren’t watertight so it’s mostly used for sculptures or jewelry pieces. I have had a couple of gos at this and have made some really beautiful decorative vases and even a thrown Christmas tree!

What is your most favourite thing you have made or the thing you are most proud of?

My favorite piece I have made is a set of bowls using black iron sand collected from Piha beach- one of my favorite spots. The iron in the sand does all kinds of magical things when fired at a high temperature and creates a really cool speckle effect. These bowls were made when I was still fairly new to the process so they’re not particularly skillfully made but we use them lots and they make me happy every time.

What was the most challenging thing you have made?

Teapots have been by far the most challenging thing I’ve made. There is a lot to consider and it can go wrong at many different points in the process.

I’m sure that there are mistakes, mishaps and accidents along the way. Can you rescue or recycle these? Do you throw them out or keep them to put something in  to remind you of your journey?

Turning a raw clay pot into a functional glazed pot requires two firings. The first is called a bisque firing and once you have completed this firing you cannot recycle the clay any longer. A lot of the things that go wrong will go wrong at this stage or before it, so the majority of work can be rescued if you are quite strict about what you keep to fire and what you don’t. When things go wrong at the bisque stage- like handles falling off or edges chipping there isn’t much you can do to rescue a pot.  Often I will try and see if I can re-purpose it, can the mug become a beaker or can the crack in the plate be rescued by a good glaze.

What is the best lesson you have learned in pottery?

The biggest lesson is about control. Even a skilled potter cant control the process of firing and glazing accurately and consistently. So there is an element of trusting the process and accepting that things aren’t going to work sometimes. I try not to get too attached to pieces until they have gone through the process. it can be heartbreaking to spend many hours and sessions on a piece which cracks during the final firing or doesn’t come out as you had hoped. Accepting that is a fact of life and being zen about it has been a big learning and is really useful in other parts of a control freak’s life!

What advice would you give to someone starting out now?

Just start, it doesn’t matter if you can’t find a friend to go with or you’ve never done it, there is a whole community there willing to teach and excited to have new people come along. Be persistent with it, it’s not going to work right away or feel easy the whole time – but its worth it.