Things that we've learned from our resident potter:
Clay comes in slabs. You can cut the slabs into smaller pieces with an Xacto knife.
Slip is the mud made from water and left over pieces of clay. Slip is used to stick sections of a piece together (i.e. you would use it to attach wings to the body of a dragon -- like glue).
You cannot have any glaze on the bottom of your piece, or else it will stick to the shelf in the kiln when it is fired -- thus, all pottery pieces have unfinished looking bottoms.
When you cut a hole into a piece you must smooth the edges very well with a wooden tool, or else those raw edges will become very sharp when fired.
To make a cup you form a ball, and then push your hands into the center to make a well, you then put both thumbs in the well and push the space bigger and bigger. Eventually, you begin pinching and forming the sides.
To make a bowl usually a mold is used. You cut strips and push them into the mold and then use coils to make the rim. You then smooth it all into one piece using your hands and a damp sponge.
Most things (like a dog made out of pottery) are hollow -- this is so it can fire right.
There are usually two firings -- the first one, and then a second one after glaze is applied.
The Girl is completely in her element at the pottery studio. When we arrive to pick her up, and I peek in at her, I find in her face that perfect mixture of concentration and peace.
Today she brought home her first pieces -- a cup and a luminary (kind of a tube that we are to put a candle in).
I write this from DC. We drove here this evening -- the plan was for The Sister to see the cherry blossoms. This weekend was the projected peak blossom-peeping, but then the cold snap happened (it didn't feel like a "snap" to me... more like an ongoing torturous twisting...), so it has been pushed back a few days. Hopefully there will be some early bloomers...
The most interesting conversation that I heard from the backseat was:
"Hey [Judd the Red Chicken]! I think that I just saw Big Foot. Have you ever seen Big Foot?" The Girl
"Yes, I'm pretty sure that I saw Big Foot when I was your age." The Boy
"How many are there?" The Girl -- kowtowing to his vast Big Foot knowledge.
"There are approximately the same amount as there are... giraffes." The Boy
Seriously, sometimes I'm like: really? the strongest sperm out of 180 million?
