It takes muscle to properly knead clay, shape it, and attach it to the wheel. It takes even more strength to steady one’s hands and guide the clay into a specific shape. The spinning wheel offers a strong gravitational pull which constantly forces the clay outward. The artist’s hands, must simultaneously push, pull, stay steady and braced, and restrain the clay while directing it to a final shape.
One wrong movement or stray finger and the pot is ruined in seconds, and the artist must start again.
As you can see by this display, fall semeter Ceramics students have done tremendous work with the potter’s wheel. And while the challenge is great, the rewards are even greater. Throwing on the wheel is an incredibly rewarding experience. Changing clay from soft, pliable material, into a purposeful vessel with strength and beauty is an experience a Ceramics student may never forget.
From "Metamorphosis." Macs Musings RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
http://abigailcristo.com/metamorphosis/
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