Diary
Today I threw my first plate and I am well chuffed. I did the old ‘push it too far’ thing and the rim collapsed but I do get what I did wrong and I will make it right in future iterations. I am intending to try and reflect the slip patterns in the Donyatt/South Somerset slipware traditions. I have included the pots from the collection below and you can see the sort of thing I am aiming for. Nice and simple with drippy bits.
I was meant to try and make slip today but had an anti histamine tablet and fell asleep! What a knockout drop that was. No need for me to get sleeping pills! I rose at 4pm still feeling as though I was on a ship in the ocean. You have to laugh.
I was told the other day about ‘Outsider Art’. I felt it was a bit like being in the reject group I was in at university. This group was self named as we didn’t feel that we were part of the cool set or the academic set and this group was intrinsically for all those who didn’t fit anywhere else. I liked that group until that too became a bit of a clique. Back to art – I have often felt that my work was not good enough, that I did not have the language to belong in the art world and that I was not quite a member of the artist club as I was not beautiful (strangely seems to be a ticket in) and/or had not been to college to study so had not won my right to call myself an artist.
I read up about ‘outsider art’ and felt I couldn’t quite be a part of that either as it seems to be for people who are identified by a different set of criteria.
“Outsider art is art by self-taught or naïve art makers. Typically, those labeled as outsider artists have little or no contact with the mainstreamart world or art institutions. In many cases, their work is discovered only after their deaths. Often, outsider art illustrates extreme mental states, unconventional ideas, or elaborate fantasy worlds.
I have just learnt from doing, with my father or with people interested in sculpture and ceramics and my work is more a diary of my emotions and marks significant moments or feelings in my life. So, whilst in a sauna, my friend Cat and I coined the term ‘OutciderArt’. This group is for anyone in the West Country who wants to join us and do something arty. You are all welcome and your art will be celebrated.
So the pot I threw today was a plate. I had tried successfully to throw one yesterday but I wanted to see if I was doing it correctly or could improve. I did. I learnt to throw a little thicker, how to use a tool to check depth, I also found out how to flatten a large plate so that you do not get the ‘s’ crack in the base, I used a kidney to flatten for the first time but also learnt that using a sponge or your finders are fine. My flattening out the clay across the bat was better too. So all in all a good day.
Research
I love to watch women throw large lumps of clay on the wheel. It gives me confidence, as I am small, not strong and dad often said he didn’t think I would be able to do it with large amounts of clay. To see other women succeed gives me the confidence in my ability and the idea that anything is possible.
So my research today was on throwing a plate so that I could try out slip glazing.
Pot of the Day Process Gallery

Thrown
Clay type: White Stoneware

Turned and decorated
Decoration: turned not decorated

Biscuit Fired
Kiln: ?
Programme: ?Temperature: ?
Duration: ?
Date: ?

Glazed
Oxide: ?
Slip: ?
Glaze: ?
Kiln: ?
Temperature: ?
Date: ?
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