Appendix

Questionnaire/ Email

Enquiry about throwing.

 Francesca Elise White

Sent Items

27 April 2012 21:31

Dear Richard,

Thank you very much for replying so quickly.

It is amazing to think how different it is for students now compared to when you were at university, especially with the rise in fees!

I spoke to a third year Ceramics student at Camberwell yesterday and she was telling me how they were told they are the last students for their course – when they leave this year, Camberwell will no longer teach Ceramics. I think this is such a shame.

Your enthusiasm for your art shows in your writting and gives me motivation to learn more.

I’ll be looking out for your book when it is published.

Once again thank you.

Kind Regards

Francesca

Richard Phethean [richardphethean@btinternet.com]

Actions

To:

Francesca Elise White

27 April 2012 18:28

 

You replied on 27/04/2012 21:31.

Dear Francesca,

Where to begin!

You may be shocked to hear how lucky we were to have trained during a time of such generous provision for arts education.

I started my foundation in 1971 and, including a sabbatical year with the student’s union, graduated in 1976. In all that time, the only thing I can remeber having to pay for was the wine for our degree show.

Our tuition was paid, we had maintenence grants for living expenses, we had two or three visiting staff – practicing makers/artist - in the department every day of the academic year.

I always think learning to throw is analogous to learning to play a musical instrument. You can learn to play simple, basic tunes in a few weeks. To become a good musician can take years. To become a master of your art may take decades.

So, to answer some of your questions, to make a simple mug or small bowl may take a few weeks to learn to make, but to make really high quality domesticware, with fluency and beauty, with a superb glaze will take many thousands of hours of dedication and commitment.

Yes, my approach to what I do is constantly evolving and changing. I found out very early on that I was not going to become a production potter. I have always subsidised my sales of pots with teaching pottery, or more specifically – throwing. My second book on throwing for A&C Black is due out this August.

I am much more of an artist than a designer, and therefore I am working only to satisfy my own creative urges. If people like what I make enough to buy it, then it is a bonus. I always work in terra cotta and have always used slips on my surfaces in a personal way, but informed by traditions and history.

Every now and then, if a really good pot fails to sell in an exhibition, I might decide to keep it as part of my personal collection.

Sadly the big issue for all of us who were involved in arts and crafts education see this as a desparate time of course closures and ever spiralling costs of fees. In ceramics particularly, in recent years we have lost some outstanding centres of excellence, so we worry where the next generation of artist craftsmen and women will come from.

Hope this is of use.

R

 

Francesca Elise White

Sent Items

27 April 2012 16:00

Dear Richard Phethean,

I called earlier this afternoon and would like to say I am very sorry for interupting your class.

My name is Francesca White and I am currently in my first year at Camberwell studying Three Dimensional Design.

We are all currently writing an essay on a process of our choice that we are interested in learning about and I picked throwing. I was looking online for potters that I could contact which is where I came across your website. I did see that you also studdied at Camberwell; I wonder if it has changed much since you were there.

If you don’t mind I would be very grateful if you are able to answer some of my questions, I don’t expext answers to all of them as I am sure you are busy and I have quite a few.

• In your opinion, what is the easiest product to learn to throw if you are a beginner?

• Do you have a favourite object that you have thrown?

• How long did it take you to learn the basic skills? or would you say there is no time frame and it depends entirely on the person?

• What is the most common clay you use for your thowing? Do you have a favourite?

• On average how long does it take to throw a product, for example a bowl?

• Is there anything that you are still learning?

• Do you find that you are still trying to create new effects when throwing?

• Are there any issues with throwing today?

Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Francesca White

 

Extra Information

Fired Up – Petts Wood

Sarah Buck – Owner,

How long been open: Fired up has been there for 8 years.

Process Throwing?: Moulds?

Most Consistent/ Biggest Sellers: Mugs (consistent) and plates biggest seller.

Length of time in Kiln and temp: Approx 20hrs in kiln – 975°

How does it fit in kiln: 3 shelves in Kiln, hand space between everything.

Other: Triangle with 3 prongs – sit on so don’t stick to shelf, or wipe base.

Speak to Cromartie – www.cromartie.co.uk – 01782319435

Speak to Country Love – www.countrylovecrafts.com – 01235861700

 

Cromartie

Name: Andrew Quinn

Process use: Slip Casting

Best Seller/ Most Consistent: Salad Plates and small Mugs

What does Slip Casting involve?: Slip in Mould, Take out after 3 to 4 hours, let it dry overnight, settles before being fired.

 

Frances Wright – notes of conversation:

In her last year at Camberwell.

• Attended Camberwell for foundation as well.
• Originally intended to study jewellery.
• After visiting ceramics workshop a number of times she ‘loved the vibe in the workshop’ decided it was for her.
• Tried throwing in her first year.
• Came away from it in her second.
• Back to it again in her third.
• Currently making pots.
• Throws domed shape with the clay wet.
• Lets these shapes dry overnight.
• Then put on wheel – dry to get rid of unwanted clay.
• Finally hollowed out
• Tools – potters wheel, sponge, scraper, wire clay cutter, broken ceramic pot
• ‘definitely harder than it looks’

Bibliography

Books

Adamson, G. (2010) The Craft Reader. Great Britain: Berg.

Collins, N. (2011) Throwing Large. Great Britain: A & C Black.

E-journals

Krueger, D. (n.d.) Why on earth do they call it throwing? Ceramics Today, (n.d.) http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/why_throwing.htm, (Date Accessed 12 April 2012).

 

World wide web

http://www.caa.org.uk/shop/contact-the-caa-shop.html, (Date Accessed 5 April 2012).

Wheel throwing techniques, http://ceramicartsdaily.org/category/pottery-making-techniques/wheel-throwing-techniques/, (Date Accessed 5 April 2012).

Eddie and Margaret Curtis, http://www.studiopottery.co.uk/potter_profile.php?id=350, (Date Accessed 25 April 2012).

1616/ arita Japan, http://www.dezeen.com/2012/04/27/colour-porcelain-by-scholten-baijings-for-1616-arita-japan/, (Date Accessed 26 April 2012).

Clay, http://pottery.about.com/od/typesofclays/tp/throwclay.htm, (Date Accessed 5 April 2012).

The Kiln, http://eddiecurtis.com/eddie4.html, (Date Accessed 25 April 2012).

Pottery, http://www.pottersconnection.co.uk/contact.htm, (Date Accessed 5 April 2012).

Richard Phethean, http://www.phethean.clara.net/thepotter.htm, (Date Accessed 25 April 2012).

Clays, http://www.cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk/Catalogue/Clay-Slip, (Date Accessed 25 April 2012).

http://countrylovecrafts.com/about.php, (Date Accessed, 24 April 2012).

Larkcraft (2009). Ceramics for Beginners: Wheel Throwing – Throwing a Bowl with Emily Reason. [online]. (Date Accessed 5 April 2012). Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9-hAJ8IrmU

Images

Critical Analysis of Primary Research

Through my research I have also been looking into how some throwers make a living out of throwing. I have found that some are commissioned by various people to create certain objects, others make large quantities of different pieces that are sold on, some of these pieces may be exhibited then sold on afterwards if they grab people’s attention. Richard Phethean spends a lot of his time teaching the skill of throwing, and has a lot of people travelling to him to complete one of his courses (Appendix p.13.). I think this is a great way to continue doing something you are so enthusiastic about, passing it on to others to enjoy.

In the retail side I have found that the biggest sellers or most consistent pieces of ceramic ware have been plates and mugs, I believe this is because they are everyday objects that people would get a lot of use out of and are also generally in a price range more people can afford.

When you have produced an object that is thrown it has been handmade and created by an individual then a kiln has to be used to complete the product. Although this is an entirely different process to throwing and could be researched into great depths, I felt it was important to find out a bit about. Throwing is just part of the journey for making a ceramic product; to me firing an object marks the completion of the process of making a piece of pottery:

We are committed to creating work that is connected with the material it is made from and celebrates the process of its making. The firing has become an integral and important part of that process. Using an oil-fired kiln allows us to work with fire, a fundamental force of nature, introducing a welcome degree of unpredictability. When the results are good we feel that the partnership has been successful. (Curtis, (n.d.) web)

There are numerous different ways of firing a ceramic object; these don’t all include a kiln. I didn’t realize you can actually fire an object by hand; there are also a number of different kilns too. There are electric kilns like the one in Fired up (Appendix p.18.), wood fired kilns, there are also different methods that can be used for the same kilns which involve more or less attention at the glazing process.

I think the firing process is a very interesting one but I still find Throwing much more fascinating. Although to some it may seem repetitive and get quite boring after a while I think you could continue to play around and reach different outcomes, it seems very relaxing:

Why do I find primitive pottery interesting to the extent I do? And why do I feel it is so pertinent to teaching? Without explanation, I could reply, ‘I like to make the pots this way,’ and there could be no challenge. Yet, while no defense is necessary, an explanation helps. Justification is found in the effect upon the resulting pots. In its simplicity and therefore its demands upon the skills of the potter (which are greater because of the technical simplicity) a manner of clear, logical thinking is brought about. We are, in a sense, taken back to the uncluttered thinking of children. Not only is this refreshing in so complex an existence, it is good training for the mental processes. (Rieger, 2010, p.35)

If you are creative and trying out new ways of carrying out a process or attempting to reach a different outcome I think it would be hard to lose interest:

My approach to what I do is constantly evolving and changing… I am much more of an artist than a designer, and therefore I am working only to satisfy my own creative urges. If people like what I make enough to buy it, then it is a bonus. I always work in terra cotta and have always used slips on my surfaces in a personal way, but informed by traditions and history (Appendix p.13.).

Overall the process of throwing seems just as interesting as it was before I began my research and if anything I am more enthusiastic to learn more about the process and try it for myself.

Primary Research Document

The first and easiest step to gather information was to talk to a third year ceramics student. I spoke to Frances Wright, who is in her last year at Camberwell; she was very helpful and spoke about herself and the course. Frances attended Camberwell for her foundation and originally intended to study jewelry, however after visiting the ceramics workshop a number of times she ‘loved the vibe in the workshop’ (Appendix p.17.) and decided it was for her. She tried throwing in her first year, came away from it in her second and is back to it again in her third. Frances is currently making pots (Figure 1) she talked me through the process she is using to make them. Firstly she throws the domed shape (Figure 2) this is with the clay wet, she lets them dry overnight. They are then put on the wheel – dry to get rid of the unwanted clay and finally they are hollowed out (Figure 3). I also saw some of the tools Frances was using including the potters wheel and her hands, these included, a sponge to clean the wheel, a scraper to neaten surfaces and scrape off any unwanted clay, a wire clay cutter to remove the object from the wheel neatly and she used a piece of broken ceramic pot, also as a scraper, because she found it was a suitable shape for that particular task. There are various other tools and different ways of throwing a piece of pottery; it was good to find out the basic ones used.

Seeing someone actually carrying out the process of throwing was very helpful, it is very deceiving as Frances made it look so easy Frances said it is ‘definitely harder than it looks’ (Appendix p.17.) This is what I expected though and I imagine it would take me a long time and great difficulty to learn:

I always think learning to throw is analogous to learning to play a musical instrument. You can learn to play simple, basic tunes in a few weeks. To become a good musician can take years. To become a master of your art may take decades. (Appendix p.13.)

Making an object once you have learnt the process may be much easier, however perfecting the process to achieve a satisfying finished product as you want it can take a lot of practice:

 … to make a simple mug or small bowl may take a few weeks to learn to make, but to make really high quality domestic ware, with fluency and beauty, with a superb glaze will take many thousands of hours of dedication and commitment. (Appendix p.13.)

 After an object is thrown and has dried it has to be glazed and fired. I visited a shop called Fired up where people can paint pottery and it is then fired in the kiln on site. Sarah Buck the owner showed me the kiln (Figure 4). It can hold 3 shelves of various objects. The different pieces painted by customers are glazed (Figure 5) then placed in the kiln roughly a hand space apart, where they are fired. The kiln reaches a temperature of approximately 975° and the objects are taken out roughly 20 hours later.

None of the objects for painting that are sold in Fired up are thrown this is as I expected. I phoned a couple of the suppliers, Cromartie and Country love as advised by Sarah (Appendix p.15.), they don’t throw any of their products, instead they use moulds and slip caste them. Andrew Quinn at Cromartie explained that this involves the slip being put in the mould, they take it out after approximately three to four hours, let it dry overnight so it can settle and then fire it (Appendix p.15.18). This process is more effective if you want uniformity, it is also cheaper than having each piece individually thrown.

I thought that as there are quicker, alternative processes being used to make pottery today, this would be a big issue for throwers although I did not find this. Frances Wright explained that her year were told they are the last year on the Ceramics course at Camberwell (Appendix p.17.), I had known that the course was finishing, however had not thought of this when thinking about issues for throwers today:

Sadly the big issue for all of us who were involved in arts and crafts education see this as a desperate time of course closures and ever spiraling costs of fees. In ceramics particularly, in recent years we have lost some outstanding centers of excellence, so we worry where the next generation of artist craftsmen and women will come from. (Appendix p.13.)

Introduction

I intend to investigate and learn about the process of ceramic throwing. This will hopefully also include learning about the rest of the journey of objects after they have been thrown.

At university I regularly see third year students in the ceramics workshops throwing different objects and I have always thought it is a fascinating process to watch. The objects look as if they are growing out of the clay and the thrower is helping them form into a clearer shape. I have never tried throwing or ever really learnt anything about the process. I have no idea of the kind of tools used, how you go about starting the process, what takes place throughout or the skills needed. Therefore this makes throwing an ideal topic for my essay as I am keen to learn more.

Through various methods of research, I aim to learn about a variety of different aspects to do with throwing. By contacting and speaking to throwers I will hopefully be able to get a better understanding of the basic skills carried out when throwing and the technical aspects of making an object.

Some key questions that would be good to have answered are; how long does it take to throw a simple object, such as a bowl? Did it take them long to learn to throw? I would imagine it can take a long time and depends entirely on the person learning it but once you have mastered the basic skills it could possibly be quite easy to make simple objects in a short amount of time.

What are their favourite aspects of throwing or their favourite pieces? In my opinion throwing looks like a relaxing process to carry out and as I do not know what the process involves I am keen to know what they enjoy about it. The throwers I speak to might like a challenge and therefore their favourite pieces, if they have any, are the ones they spent the most time on.

Other things I think will be good to ask throwers about are the type of clay they use as there are different bodies of clay; the various types I presume would have different effects on the outcome and would also feel different to work with. The tools they use, do they have their own personal ones they prefer for different methods. At the moment I don’t know what tools are used for the process of throwing apart from the throwers hands and the potter’s wheel. The retail side of throwing would also be important to look at; I can do this by not only speaking to throwers but by visiting shops and speaking to companies. What are their biggest sellers and most consistent products? I would like to know how throwers make their living out of throwing, for example do they just continuously make products that are sold on or do they get commissioned to make products by various people and companies.

Finally a very interesting point to discuss is the issues with throwing today and what they think is important to know about.

Clock Hands

As I stated earlier in the project I would like clock hands to be a main part of my clock. I especially like the ornamental hands that are very decorative. Using various hands that I have seen in clocks around the home, at the Royal Observatory and the clockmaker Museum as inspiration, I have tried to come up with my own ideas for my project.

I really like the idea of combining numbers with clock hands, I am not sure if I want to use numbers or roman numerals, so I have jotted down a few ideas to help.

Numerals

Hands/ Numerals combination.

I definitely prefer the roman numerals to the digits and I decided to combine these with clock hands. I wanted each of the hands to look different from one another, these are my sketches to reach my final ideas for the clock hands:

Rough sketch – First attempt clock hands.

Clock hands – Initial drawings with feedback.

I took all the feedback into consideration and made changes to certain clock hands accordingly.

Finishing neat clock hands – set 1

Finishing neat clock hands – set 2

Final Hands.