29 June 2020

ceramics


I've made a new Instagram account, polly_appleton_studio to showcase my ceramic work, I thought it would be nice to gather together some of my favourite pieces in one place, rather like an album or portfolio.

It's been about 4 years since I signed up to an evening pottery class and I've been enjoying the feel of shaping and moulding clay with my hands ever since. I love the process. I love that clay is so natural, so pliable. I love planning what to make, how I'll create it and how I'll treat that piece, what glaze I'll apply and how it might look. I build everything by hand, sometimes using a coil technique with long sausages of clay joined together, sometimes I use slabs (rolled flat sheets, like pastry) and sometimes I just feel the clay in my hands and shape it, pushing, pulling, squishing, and sticking to create the form I'm after. My pieces tend to vary, from practical useful objects to playful sculpture. 

D and I started our ceramic journey at the same time, it's really nice to share a hobby and grow as potters together. Though his work is very different to mine, he throws all his pieces on a wheel, making beautiful pots and bowls, you can see them here. He recently built a little Raku kiln which we've been having fun with, I've been documenting our experiments with Raku on Instagram stories for my new account.