Pottery

This week, we transformed our clay creations into colorful masterpieces while glazing the animal sculptures and small bowls we’d created previously. The plates and vases will be fired as unglazed bucchero ware, while the Christmas decorations will be glazed and fired in the electric kiln next week. To prepare for glazing, we carefully masked off the heads, tails, fins, and legs of our animal sculptures, as well as the bases of our bowls, to keep these areas clean. After confirming our chosen glaze colors, we used a pouring jug to apply the glaze. It was fascinating to watch the liquid glaze instantly absorb into the clay, leaving behind a layer of colorful powder. We can’t wait to see the final results after the raku firing next week!   Unfortunately, we got so caught up in the glazing fun that we neglected our fairytale. But luckily we still have one more lesson to finish the story!

This was the final session for working with clay. In the next two lessons, we’ll glaze and fire all the pieces. Students who chose to work on vases learned to polish their surfaces to a high shine. Others decorated their Christmas ornaments. Everyone was enthusiastic, and all the artwork is now ready for its first firing in the kiln later this week. As usual at the end of the lesson we completed the next chapter of our fairytail. The spectacle After two days, the twins returned to the Dragon’s Cave to get their ceramic animals. “I hope he’s in a good mood,” Mirko said to his sister. As they approached, they heard voices coming from the cave. “He’s not alone,” Marika whispered, relieved. They entered the clearing in front of the cave and found the elf welcoming them with open arms: “Here they are, our artists!” With them were also the fairy Marilù and the nymph Giada. “Welcome to the spectacle,” roared the dragon, with a smile that lit up his eyes. On the table, a myriad of colorful jars and a large jug of water intrigued the twins. “What kind of spectacle is this?” asked Mirko. “We are going to fire your animals,” replied the dragon. “But isn’t the firing already done?” protested Marika, confused. “Yes, yes, once, but we are going to fire it a second time to glaze your work,” explained the dragon.   The nymph invited them to prepare the glazes. “What colors should the bird and the shark have?” asked the nymph. “The shark blue and the bird yellow!” the twins answered in unison. With expert hands, the nymph mixed the colored powders with water. “I also brought some wax,” said the fairy, “for the parts that need to stay black.” With a brush, the twins began to cover the noses, tails, and fins. Then it was time to apply the glazes. With her tongue between her teeth, Marika poured the glaze on the bird, and Mirko did the same. “And now?” asked Marika. The elf dug a hole in the ground and placed branches, moss, and dry leaves in it. “Let’s put the animals in here,” she said. “Now it’s the dragon’s turn,” she announced mysteriously.   The dragon rose up in all its majesty. “Everyone back!” he shouted. He took a deep breath and a huge flame came out of his mouth, setting the hole alight. He continued to blow, raising the temperature inside. Mirko and Marika watched with their mouths open. “It’s really a spectacle!,” Mirko exclaimed. After an hour, the elf covered the hole with earth. Smoke began to come out. The twins gave a big round of applause. “We’ve finished the second cooking,” the elf announced. “Who wants some lemonade?” the nymph suggested. “Me!” they both shouted. “Now we have to be a little patient, tomorrow we’ll open the hole,” said the elf. “I can’t wait!” Marika exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.  

Alessio surprised us all by bringing bucchero pottery to the studio. These 20th-century replicas of later Etruscan artworks were truly awe-inspiring. We were able to touch and admire the delicate decorations, created with a unique tool made from a hare’s whisker. Inspired by the bucchero vases, one group continued to coil their vases, focusing on crafting elegant necks. The other group finished their plates by finishing the edges nicely and adding a border underneath the plate. Their excitement for the upcoming Christmas project was palpable as they eagerly began cutting snowmen, stars, trees, and snowflakes from the clay. To conclude the lesson, we collectively reviewed the fourth chapter of our fairytale story. An Exciting Visit   For two weeks, Mirko and Marika returned to the rock to check on their clay animals. Every day, the color changed slightly, from dark gray to a delicate white. And every day, the fairy awaited them, singing a sweet melody. “How are our masterpieces?” Mirko asked one day, with a beaming smile. “I think they’re ready to be fired,” Marilù replied. “Fantastic!” Marika exclaimed, clapping her hands. “We’ll take them home to fire them in the kitchen oven!” But the fairy shook her head, worried. “Ceramics are fired in a special oven, not at home!” “But where do we find such an oven?” Marika asked, perplexed. “On the other side of the forest, in the dragon’s cave,” the fairy replied. Mirko and Marika exchanged a worried look. “Do we have to go to the dragon?” Mirko asked. “He’s a little grumpy, but he’s not bad,” Marilu reassured them. They prepared a soft basket for their animals and, after saying goodbye to the fairy, they set off towards the cave.   When they arrived, they found the dragon asleep in front of the entrance, with a little smoke coming out of his nostrils with every breath. Marika shivered. “Are you scared?” Mirko asked her. “A little,” she replied. “Should we wake him up?” At that moment, the dragon opened one eye and asked, “What do you want?” “We brought our sculptures to bake them in your oven,” Mirko explained, trying to remain calm. “Then you’re in the right place,” the dragon replied, standing up. “Come in, the oven is over there.”   With shaking legs, the twins followed the dragon into the cave. “What beautiful creatures,” the dragon commented, admiring their creations. Carefully, he placed them in a large, red-hot oven. “First they cook, then they have to cool slowly.” “How long will it take?” Marika asked. “About two days,” the dragon replied. “See you then,” Mirko said. “Bye!” Marika shouted, as they ran out of the cave. After a hundred meters they stop, in the shade of a huge tree, the excitement overwhelming them. “He is even more mysterious than we imagined,” Marika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Mirko, despite feeling his heart beating wildly, forced a smile. “Yes, I can’t wait to go back,” he said coldly, but a shiver ran down his spine.

This week, we embarked on a journey back in time to explore the ancient art of Etruscan Bucchero pottery. We examined photographs of this distinctive black pottery, marveling at its intricate forms and the delicate sgraffito designs etched into its surface. These captivating images, depicting gods, goddesses, and legendary heroes, offer us a glimpse into the rich mythology of the Etruscan people. Intriguingly, we discovered that the thinner, more elaborate Bucchero pieces are actually older than the thicker ones. This counterintuitive development can be attributed to the specific purposes for which the pottery was created. The early, refined pieces were inspired by metal tableware, reflecting the Etruscans’ daily lives. In contrast, the thicker pottery was reserved for a more solemn purpose: accompanying the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. To deepen our understanding of this ancient craft, we rolled up our sleeves and began creating our own Bucchero pieces. One group skillfully constructed a vase by coiling clay onto a bowl, while the other group focused on crafting plates and adorning them with sgraffito designs. The edges of the plates were carefully shaped to complement the imagery.   As our session drew to a close, we ventured into the enchanting world of our fairytale, delving into the captivating third chapter. Fantastic Beasts   When the twins reached the usual rock, Marika let out a desperate cry: “No, someone stole our balls!” Mirko ran to check, his heart in his throat, and sadly discovered that the place where they had left their work was empty. But right under a rock, hidden by a birch leaf, they found a letter. Marika read aloud: “I took your spheres to a safer place to dry them. See you at the waterfall. A hug from Giada” “What are we waiting for?” Mirko exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Without hesitation, the two twins rushed along the river, following the course of the water that flows between the rocks. Suddenly, the waterfalls opened up before them, a majestic spectacle with a rainbow that painted the mist with a thousand colors.   “Here you are!” a nymph greeted them, sitting on a boulder in the center of the waterfall. “Where are our balls?” Marika asked immediately, a little impatiently. “Don’t worry, they are safe,” the nymph replied with a smile. “Please follow me.” The nymph dived into the cool water and walked along a path hidden behind the waterfalls. Mirko and Marika followed her in wonder, until they reached a damp cave. “Look,” said the nymph, “I put your spheres here, where the humidity is perfect for hardening them.” Marika breathed a sigh of relief as she saw her precious creation lying on a soft bed of moss.   “Today we want to turn our balls into animals!” Mirko exclaimed, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “What a fantastic idea!” the nymph applauded. “I also brought some clay from the well,” she added, “let’s go outside and create!” In a sunny corner, they began to model heads, tails and legs with clay. But suddenly, Mirko stopped: “We have a problem, we don’t have any clay slip!” The nymph smiled: “No problem, we can create it ourselves with clay and water.” Patiently, she mixed the clay with the river water until she obtained a soft and sticky paste. In a short time, the spheres transformed into a shark and a bird, wonderful and unique creatures. “They are beautiful!” exclaimed the nymph, admiring their creations. “Now we have to let them dry in the sun?” asked Mirko. “Great idea, we can put them out to dry,” replied Giada.   Carefully, the twins placed the animals on the rock and exposed them to the rays of the sun. “We’ll come back tomorrow to see them!” said Marika, beaming with happiness and with a little relief at having found their works of art again.  

This week, we kicked off our clay adventure with a fun game. We arranged envelopes labeled with different clay stages in the correct order and then felt the transformation firsthand, from soft and pliable to hard and dry. We also matched various clay activities to their appropriate stages, learning that shaping is best done early on and that color application is most effective when the clay is leather hard. We discovered that as clay dries, it becomes increasingly fragile. With this knowledge, we couldn’t wait to continue working on our hollow clay balls. This week, we transformed them into caricatures of our favorite animals! Bertie inspired us with examples of animals we could create, emphasizing the importance of short, thick pieces for strong attachments. We sketched our chosen animals, formed the necessary parts, and used slip to attach them to our balls. It was truly magical to watch our balls come to life as fantastic creatures. We created a cat, a shark, a panda, an owl, an angry bird, a sheep, a panther, a pig, and an elephant. To wrap up our session, we delved into the second chapter of our fairytale. Perfect Spheres The next day, the twins returned to the well of creation, curious to see how their bowls had evolved. To their surprise, they found a little fairy asleep in one of them, wrapped in a blanket of moss. “Look how sweet it is!” Marika whispered, enchanted by the sight. The fairy yawned loudly and stretched, her blue eyes shining with sleep. “Good morning, little friends! What are you up to?” she greeted, without waiting for an answer. “I slept like a log.” What’s your name, Mirko asked. My name is Marilu and I’m a woodland fairy.   “We’re checking our bowls. They already seem to be useful!” says Mirko smiling. The Fairy came out of the bowl, flapping her glittering wings. “Fantastic!” she exclaimed. “I’m going to have breakfast, see you later!” And with a flap of her wings she disappeared among the trees, returning shortly after with a basket full of blueberries. “I thought I’d bring you something,” she said, offering them the wild fruits. “Thank you, they’re delicious!” Mirko thanked her with a full mouth, while Marika carefully examined the bowls. “Look,” she said, bringing the two halves closer together. “Together they form a perfect sphere!” The fairy smiled. “Exactly! And with a little creativity, you can transform it into anything you want.” “How do we join them?” Marika asked, dreamily. “It’s simple,” the fairy replied. “Take a twig and use it to lightly scratch the surfaces. Then, with the slip you find in the well, you can glue them together.” The twins followed the instructions carefully, until they obtained a smooth and uniform sphere.   “It looks like an animal’s belly!” Marika exclaimed, amused. “We can create a sheep or a cat!” Mirko suggested enthusiastically. “With the same technique, you can add a head, legs and a tail,” the fairy explained. “I would like to make a bird,” Marika said. “And I would like to make a dragon!” Mirko exclaimed. “But we only have one sphere,” Marika objected, a little disappointed.

Our first day at Bertie Franke’s ceramics studio was a truly enchanting experience. We began our magical journey with a playful game that introduced us to the key terms and techniques of pottery. Bertie explained that we would be creating Raku ceramics, a unique Japanese style that involves a dramatic final firing.   We delved into the fundamental elements of pottery: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. We learned about the properties of different clays, including the refractory qualities of chamotte-infused clay. Bertie also shared insights into the firing processes in both electric and gas kilns. Our hands-on experience began with the ancient technique of pinching. We started with a simple clay ball and, with our eyes closed, gently pinched and shaped it into a bowl. The tactile sensation of the clay, the warmth of our hands, and the quiet concentration were incredibly meditative. When we finally opened our eyes, we were delighted to see the unique forms we had created. Next, we experimented with using molds, crafting two perfect hemispheres that we joined together with slip. This process required precision and patience, but the end result was a beautiful, hollow sphere.   As the day drew to a close, we embarked on a creative writing exercise, crafting the first chapter of a fairytale about twins who discover magical clay in an enchanted forest. This imaginative endeavor perfectly complemented our hands-on pottery experience, allowing us to explore the world of storytelling and ceramics. The Well of Creation Once upon a time, there were twins, Mirko and Marika, who lived in a small house on the edge of an enchanted forest. One day, while they were exploring the Vein river that wound through the trees, Marika exclaimed: “Look what I found!” Her hands were dirty with a dark and slimy mud. “Do you feel how strange it is?” she added, holding out a handful of earth to her brother. Mirko examined it curiously: “It seems malleable, sticky… it almost seems alive.” While the twins were busy exploring the strange substance, a soft voice made them jump: “Good morning, little explorers.” Turning around, they saw a gnome sitting on a rock, with long white hair that touched the ground and sparkling emerald green eyes. She was dressed in a long dark green dress. She had pinned a shiny gold brooch to her dress. “I am Mistress Gea, the guardian of the earth. Do you know what you have found? This place is called The Well of Creation. For millennia, your ancestors have used this clay to create magical objects.” “Can we try too?” Mirko asked enthusiastically. “Of course,” the Mistress replied. She took a piece of clay from the well and, with expert movements, transformed it into a soft ball. The twins followed suit. “Now, insert your thumb inside the ball,” she explained. The twins did as she told them and managed to pinch simple shapes of two hemispheres. As the sun began to set, the twins found themselves with each a beautiful bowl in their hands. But the Mistress had disappeared. “That was so much fun!” Mirko exclaimed, but Marika looked thoughtful. “I wonder where she went?” Leaving the bowls on the rock to dry, the twins happily returned home, taking with them the memory of an unforgettable experience….