The Day In the Life Of A Potter
When Customers come in and look at a piece of our Handmade Pottery, they sometimes put it back, because they think it is too expensive. But few actually know how much work or time is put into each. Every separate piece is an individual, unique piece of time, love & work
MAKING POTS DURING LOCKDOWN
My name is Ciaran Headley and I exhibit my work in Midtown Makers as CH Pottery.
I took up pottery when I retired from a career in education.
attended a number of evening classes but I am essentially self taught.
I thought I'd share with you what I'm doing during this time of lockdown.
Basically I'm doing what I do most days - making some pots!
But at the minute I am concentrating on making some coffee pots.
I made one several weeks ago in response to a request from a customer and decided
to go ahead and make a few more!!
I thought it might be of interest to share the various steps that I have go through in making a coffee pot.
This is more or less the same process for most of the pots I make.
Step One
is to throw the pot on the wheel beginning with approximately 1200 g of clay
See Photos 1 and 2.
My name is Ciaran Headley and I exhibit my work in Midtown Makers as CH Pottery.
I took up pottery when I retired from a career in education.
attended a number of evening classes but I am essentially self taught.
I thought I'd share with you what I'm doing during this time of lockdown.
Basically I'm doing what I do most days - making some pots!
But at the minute I am concentrating on making some coffee pots.
I made one several weeks ago in response to a request from a customer and decided
to go ahead and make a few more!!
I thought it might be of interest to share the various steps that I have go through in making a coffee pot.
This is more or less the same process for most of the pots I make.
Step One
is to throw the pot on the wheel beginning with approximately 1200 g of clay
See Photos 1 and 2.
I make a small shelf or recess in the top of the pot where the lid will eventually sit.
The pottery name for this is 'a gallery".
The main pot is then set aside.
Step Two
Is to make the lid using approximately 300 g of clay which again
I throw on the wheel. I use calipers to measure precisely the width/diameter of the gallery
opening at the top of the pot where the lid is going to sit. If this isn't an exact measurement the lid won't fit.
The lid too is then set aside.
See Photo 3
Photo 3
Step Three
Is to make or 'pull' a handle. The handle is also made from a ball of clay but isn't made on the wheel but is made by hand by stretching or pulling a long extended piece from the ball of clay. It is important to make a handle strong enough to be able to carry the weight of the coffee pot but not too cumbersome or thick that will make the pot look chunky and unbalanced. The handle also has to achieve a nice curve and flow to it so that it looks a natural part of the finished pot.
The handle is set aside for approximately an hour to firm up sufficiently to enable it to be attached to the pot.
See Photo 4
Photo 4
Throughout this process it is important to try as much as possible to maintain all the elements of the pot at the same level of moisture.
If for example the main body of the pot became too dry then attaching the handle to it when is dry might result in it falling off when it is fired at a later stage.
Step Four
This is the process of adding a spout. This is made from a small thrown pot from which I
take a section that I mould/cut into a spout shape. Before attaching the spout I drill a triangle of
small holes in the body of the pot through which coffee/tea will flow.
See Photos 5 and 6
If for example the main body of the pot became too dry then attaching the handle to it when is dry might result in it falling off when it is fired at a later stage.
Step Four
This is the process of adding a spout. This is made from a small thrown pot from which I
take a section that I mould/cut into a spout shape. Before attaching the spout I drill a triangle of
small holes in the body of the pot through which coffee/tea will flow.
See Photos 5 and 6
Once all elements of the pot are completed, attached and assembled the pot is then left to dry for
up to a week before it can be loaded into the kiln for firing.
See Photo 7
up to a week before it can be loaded into the kiln for firing.
See Photo 7
Photo 7
When the pot is dry enough it is loaded into the kiln for its first or Bisque firing where it will reach a temperature of 1000 C.
See Photo 8
See Photo 8
Photo 8
This firing takes approximately 12 hours with approximately another 15 hours for cooling.
Following Bisque Firing the pot is cleaned, checked for any blemishes and then covered in a coat of ceramic Glaze. It is then returned to the kiln for a second firing where it will reach a temperature of 1220 C. This firing also takes approximately 12 hours with a further 18 hours for cooling.
If all goes well the pot will emerge something like Photos 9 and 10!!!!!
I hope that explains the many processes, hours and days involved in producing a unique
handmade piece of pottery!!!
Many thanks
Ciaran Headley
CH Pottery
handmade piece of pottery!!!
Many thanks
Ciaran Headley
CH Pottery
Keep Up to Date with what is happening at CH Pottery
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Check out Ch Pottery's Website
https://www.chpottery.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/CHPottery1
Check out Ch Pottery's Website
https://www.chpottery.co.uk/