ceramics and potting

My aunt and cousins have got into this craze of creating their own ceramic platters. They proudly showed off their stunning plates to my mom and I a few weeks ago and I really wanted to do one myself but it’s quite an expensive four hours for someone like me on the tiniest of salaries.

How it is works: There is a lovely potterer at Springfield Convent School who, on the weekends, has classes for anyone who wants to come and design and decorate their own platter. It’s R350 for the class and Dale (the potterer) provides you with a beautifully shaped, wet-clay platter, a working spot, the use of her tools, stamps and other decorative gear, cakes and biscuits, tea and coffee, and a calming environment where you can just let your creative juices flow.

I was so lucky to have my delightful cousin Kiki organise for me to do the class with her for my birthday. So on Saturday the lovely drummer boy dropped me off at Springfield Convent and I got to decorate my own platter.

I had no idea what to expect and when I first arrived felt so stuck: how do I start? I kept asking myself while all the ladies around me were already creating patterns, twirls and imprints on their clay.

Once I started though, it felt so easy. I opted out of making a recurring pattern and instead incorporated elements of my life into the picture. I drew a tree and stamped in some leaves for my Marja (who LOVES trees), I put in some musical notes and a rooster for the lovely drummer boy and added some fish for myself (I was quite the water baby when I was young and the lovely drummer calls me fish). I can’t WAIT to see the final product. It takes up to two weeks for the firing, colour and glazing process to be finished.

I’ll definitely show you when I get it back but for now I added some pics from Saturday afternoon. Hope you enjoy!

Also, this morning I received the most wonderful package from IndieBerries’ Che! I’m so excited (especially because it came one day before my birthday). Will post some pics up later!!

Here are some pics of my pottery day:

a little birdie told me...

my station

going with the currents

the finished product (before firing, colour and glazing of course)

lovely J's design

What do you think?