Tuesday Night Pottery

For the past 3 months, I've been making the drive every Tuesday after work to New Plymouth to attend an Intro Pottery class.    As a friend/colleague of mine in AZ commented best, "Yay Right Brain!"

We learned the basics of how to work the clay to get it ready to use.  My teacher Dianne was so supportive and helpful in making my ideas come to life, and giving me all sorts of pointers on how to make designs using everyday household items, like toothbrushes, credit cards, and dental instruments! 

Here's the storage/kiln room where our pieces called home in between classes...

Our teacher Dianne (right) showing up the proper glazing technique...

Below are a few of the finished and unfinished projects of my classmates.  Some moms had their kiddos come in to do handprints of glaze on their pottery.  Adorable!

One of the advanced class members, Fay, showing off a gorgeous platter she made...

And... drumroll please.... what you've been waiting to see--- my finished works!  

(In order of creation, too, so you can see my improvement as the weeks went on)  ;)

Week 1-  Swirly Bowl!

Week 2-   Tomato Bowl  (the color glaze was called Tomato Red)

Week 3-  Fish Spoon Holder--- the fin imprints were made with a shell I found on my Bay of Islands Trip.

Week 4-   Rowboat Salt Cellar.  I saw a similar piece at a Crafts Fair in the Bay of Islands, and did a pretty good job recreating it, if i must say so myself!!

And my final piece-- Week 5---Small Bowl Trio!   Perfect for sauces, snacks, paperclips :)

Here they all are, together!  Such different colors-- love it!

Here's our "class photo"--- what a fantastic group of folks to spend Tuesday nights with!

This blog post is dedicated to the beautiful, the patient, the creative and wonderful Dianne!  You taught me so much and were so patient with a sometimes difficult/frustrating student like me.   You were worth every minute of  the two hour round trip drive from Hawera!