Pottery Group

Welcome to our first ever Pottery Group.

This group is for any U3A member and with any level of experience.

We will use basic techniques to hand build pottery which will be fired and glazed before you take it home.

The sessions will be held in the Old Girls School on Monday mornings from 10:30 – 12:30 starting from November 5th 2018.

Due to the large numbers of people who would like to join, the group has been split in to two by our Groups Coordinator. Group 1 will meet before Christmas, Groups 2 and 3 after Christmas. You will be emailed to say which group you are in and the dates the sessions will run.

In 6 weeks we aim to make at least two items and learn enough to work on individual projects at a later date.

Clay, glaze and basic equipment will be available but you will need.

a large apron or old shirt or oversized t-shirt
a wooden spatula
an old toothbrush
lolly sticks
an old plastic card (credit card or loyalty card)
a box to carry your work home and something for your tools
a small sponge
children's modelling tools if you already have them

If there are any cake decorators in the group with a cake decorators turntable, that would be useful for the second week.

Anyone from the 'Working with Wood' group may find themselves very popular indeed as we will aim to make some of our own tools.

Pottery production is a slow process. Once we have made our first piece it will need to dry slowly over several days before it can be finished, it will then be ready for the first decoration and the first firing (bisque to 1000C). It will then need to glazed and fired again to 1080C.

Your work will be in the kiln for up to 12 hours each time and will take 24 hours to cool down.

YouTube resources you might like to look at:-

Jamie Meador
KaransPotsandGlass
bambootoolspottery
Ceramic Arts Daily
The Clay Lady

'Claycraft' magazine is good and there will be books available to look at for inspiration but not for loan.

PLEASE remember to tick the Pottery Group on the group page. This allows me to email you and keep you up to date with what is happening. Group 1 have already been contacted by Susan Ferguson.

Go to Reports on Past Sessions